3 Things You Can Do Right Now to Help Protect Your National Parks
Whether you’re in the United States, Australia, or Costa Rica, national parks are some of the most gorgeous locales in the world — and they preserve vital ecosystems, too. As climate change is putting our whole world at risk, it’s more important than ever to protect these beautiful sites and the wildlife within them.
Here are three things you can do right now to support your national parks.
Host a cleanup at a local park
One of the quickest ways to make an impact is by doing work directly in your own community. A cleanup party provides immediate assistance to a park and its wildlife — every plastic six-pack holder you pick up is one that a bird doesn’t get stuck in — and it’s a great, inexpensive way to get some hang time in with your friends and neighbors.
All you need are some gloves (safety first!), bags, and a few friendly volunteers. The National Parks Project has its own cleanup kit for sale with recycled cotton gloves and biodegradable bags, and proceeds go to support public parkland!
Book a (responsible) trip
By planning a camping trip in a national park (or a more on-grid vacation in a park-run resort or hotel), you’re supporting conservation work and motivating yourself to preserve the natural wonders. But you have to be the change: Practice Leave No Trace Principles and follow all the rules laid out by park rangers. Consider choosing a sustainable way to take your trip, too, like carpooling instead of taking a flight, or taking an epic bike trip if that’s something you’re up to.
This also gives you a chance to tell your friends and followers how important our national parks are. Just make sure that when you’re posing for those Instagram photos marveling at the beauty of Yellowstone or Mount Rainier that you’re not doing anything to hurt wildlife, like walking through wildflower fields or using Joshua trees as yoga props. Not only are these common photo ops harmful, but they also encourage other people to make the same mistakes.
Lend your skills
Want to take your volunteer work to the next level? Start looking into opportunities to work in a national park.
Many national parks in the United States have artist-in-residence programs for all kinds of creative mediums, from poetry to painting. If you’re a scientist or researcher, the National Parks Service has many programs to support scholarly pursuits that help us learn more about the parks and the world around us, and even have low-cost housing and laboratory space for those doing this vital work. If you’re a student, there are multiple internship and fellowship opportunities, too.
Organizing and lobbying are also important skills — and if you’re a passionate speaker, articulate letter-writer, or unstoppable people-person, consider pushing for climate-friendly and parks-supporting policy from governments on the local and national level.
Alo stands for Air, Land, and Ocean — our love for nature is at the heart of everything we do. We invite you to join us for Earth Month in learning how we can use our collective voice and actions to make a difference for the planet.
