Our national parks are drowning in a rising tide of plastic waste. Single-use disposable plastic bottles are the single biggest component of national park waste streams.
Mountains of plastic bottles and single-use plastic burden wildlife, create greenhouse gases, pollute our waters, and cost taxpayers to haul away. As crowds return to record levels following the pandemic, a tsunami of plastic waste will again swamp our parks.
The Biden administration has pledged to address this issue over the next ten years. Yet national parks can start going plastic-free right now. Park concessioners are willing to stop stocking disposable plastic items, but they need direction from the National Park Service.
Sign on with PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility) GreenLatinos and Beyond Plastics today. Ask the Park Service Director to ensure that our parks are plastic free NOW. The planet cannot afford to wait until 2032! Share this hashtag: #2NOT10
PETITION TO
National Park Service Director
Dear NPS Director Chuck Sams,
Discarded single-use plastic water bottles are swamping our national parks. These plastic discards are the single biggest component of park waste. They are damaging human health and our environment with disproportionate impacts on low-income and communities of color. The proposed rule would be a step forward in President Biden’s efforts to right past wrongs and move toward environmental justice.
The International Bottled Water association convinced your predecessor to tie the hands of park superintendents who are now forbidden from restricting sales of plastic water bottles in any way – no exception.
This industry-sponsored restriction should not only be rescinded but also completely reversed by eliminating the sale of plastic water bottles in all parks.
We, the undersigned, are asking that you
- Outlaw sales of plastic water bottles at all national parks;
- Cut plastics discarded in parks by 75%;
- Ensure that there are adequate sources of free potable water available for park visitors; and
- Manage our parks to set a “green” example.
Please help our national parks go green.
