August 2, 2024 — Subaru of America, Inc. and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) proudly announce the remarkable impact of their collaborative effort, the Don’t Feed the Landfills Initiative. Since its inception in 2015, the initiative has significantly reduced waste in national parks, eliminating 22 million pounds of waste through reduction, recycling, composting, and educational initiatives.
The initiative began with three pilot parks—Denali National Park & Preserve, Grand Teton National Park, and Yosemite National Park. Subaru, known for its zero-landfill expertise, teamed up with NPCA and partnered with the National Park Service (NPS) and the National Park Foundation (NPF) to implement innovative waste reduction solutions and sustainable infrastructure systems.
This collaborative effort involved park concessionaires and community stakeholders, fostering a community-based approach that has extended to nearby park communities.
Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President, Marketing at Subaru of America, Inc.: “The Don’t Feed the Landfills Initiative has been an important undertaking at Subaru for nearly a decade and has led to the elimination of 22 million pounds of trash through recycling, composting, and educational initiatives.
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We are incredibly grateful to our partners at the National Parks Conservation Association, National Park Foundation, National Park Service, and others for helping us develop and implement innovative waste reduction solutions. Together, we have reduced the amount of waste taken to landfills by half at Denali, Grand Teton, and Yosemite, and we are proud to have provided a scalable waste reduction roadmap that supports the national parks’ sustainability efforts for future generations.”
Key improvements include the installation of over 1,000 new bear-proof containers and standardized bin labeling, enhancing recycling and composting infrastructure. The initiative’s success is attributed to a collaborative community-based approach, which has had a ripple effect, changing how millions of visitors experience America’s national parks.
Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association: “We were so proud to join forces with industry leader Subaru of America, the National Park Foundation, and the National Park Service to address the significant waste challenges facing our national parks.
Through our nearly 10-year partnership on the Don’t Feed the Landfill initiative, we’ve helped keep millions of pounds of waste out of our parks and the landfills, made it easier and more clear to recycle, and connected with millions of Americans about ways they can help lessen their footprint when they explore our parks. The systems and infrastructure we’ve put in place will benefit national parks, and all who visit them, for decades to come.”
The initiative led to several sustainable practices, such as water refill stations, which have significantly reduced single-use plastic waste. The amount of single-use plastics kept out of landfills has more than doubled at the three pilot parks. Subaru also provided grant funding to the National Park Foundation for educational outreach and infrastructure improvements, reinforcing the program’s long-term impact.
Future Goals and Expansion The Don’t Feed the Landfills Initiative has laid the groundwork for other national parks to adopt successful sustainable practices. Parks like Big Bend and Zion are already making strides in waste reduction, following the best management practices developed through the initiative.
Subaru’s commitment to environmental stewardship extends beyond this initiative. As part of Subaru Loves the Earth®, the automaker continues to support the National Park Foundation’s Resilience and Sustainability initiative, contributing over $55 million since 2013.
For more information about Subaru Loves the Earth, visit Subaru Loves the Earth and follow #SubaruLovestheEarth on social media.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of about 640 retailers across the United States.
All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants, including Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone and to support its communities and customers nationwide.
Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $320 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged over 100,000 volunteer hours. Subaru is dedicated to being More Than a Car Company® and to making the world a better place. For additional information, visit Subaru Media.
About the National Parks Conservation Association
Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit NPCA
Source: Don’t Feed the Landfills Initiative: Reducing 22 Million Pounds of Waste in National Parks
