How You Can Help Protect Our Public Lands: 5 Ways to Make a Difference
This guest post was written by Parks Project. Parks Project's mission is to protect and preserve parklands for generations to come by educating, advocating, volunteering, and activating park supporters to get involved in conservation.
Every year in April, we take a moment to reflect upon our treatment of the planet and the places we love. Perhaps more than any other place, national parks represent some of the most beautiful, important landmarks in our country. Hosting visitors from all over the world every year, parks are our ever-present reminder of both the splendor of the natural world and how very delicate it is. While the valley of Yosemite or the peaks of Rainier might seem a world away from our backyards or city streets, the actions we take every day — whether we’re in a park or not — affect the balance of ecosystems and, more broadly, the health of our planet. What can we do today to ensure that we’re better citizens to the land tomorrow?
Abide by Leave No Trace principles
Practice smart consumption habits
Vote with your wallet
Stay educated and advocate for the planet
Get out there and make a difference
1.
Abide by Leave No Trace principles
Never heard of Leave No Trace? No problem! The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has seven principles to follow that make spending time outside safe for you and the planet. LNT urges visitors to abide by “Seven Principles” to minimize impact in the outdoors. Some of the principles seem simple — the organization encourages people to respect wildlife and not remove things like plants, rock, or soil from parks — but also tackles issues that are often overlooked by visitors new and old. LNT teaches on the importance of hiking and camping on durable surfaces, ensuring that native species and the wildlife that depends on them are protected.
2.
Practice smart consumption habits
You’d be surprised how much energy gets wasted unnecessarily on a daily basis, but the first step to lowering your carbon footprint is understanding how things like electricity usage, travel, and the food you eat impact your energy consumption. There are plenty of great resources out there to get you started on cutting down your impact on the environment, like ClimateHero’s Carbon Footprint Calculator, but there are also easy, intuitive changes you can make — choose to carpool with friends or take advantage of public transportation when traveling, for example.
3.
Vote with your wallet
Being an eco-conscious consumer sends a message to companies that practice environmental best practices. Do your research when making purchases from new companies that commit to sustainable manufacturing practices as well as vow to do their part to do their part to protect the planet.
4.
Stay educated and advocate for
the planet
While places like parks might seem like they’re here for good, it’s important to know that federal protection for public lands can change from administration to administration. How can you ensure that the lands we love stay protected? Be part of the conversation and engage with news and developments related to public lands protections. This means spending a little time learning about the current issues our public lands face and contacting your elected officials to advocate for bills and legislation that keep parks and other outdoor spaces protected.
5.
Get out there and make a difference
Whether it’s planting a tree or spending a little time giving a green space near you some TLC, there’s easy things you can do in your free time that’ll get you some fresh air and do a little good for the planet. At Parks Project, we’ve developed a clean up kit with a trash bag and recycling bag as well as a pair of gloves, so grab a friend, go to your favorite park, and leave it better than you found it!
Alo Moves is celebrating Earth Month and you can help.