**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

June 16, 2008

**Contact:**

Andrea Keller Helsel

National Parks Conservation Association

P: 202.454.3332

<akeller@npca.org>

Mark Wenzler\
National Parks Conservation Association\
P: 202.454.3335\
<mwenzler@npca.org>

National Parks Conservation Association Announces NEW WEBSITE TO EMPOWER
NATIONAL PARK VISITORS TO ADDRESS GLOBAL WARMING

Washington, D.C. -- The nation's leading voice for the national parks,
the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), today
announced it is launching a new website, [Do Your Part for Climate
Friendly Parks](http://www.doyourpartparks.org/), which empowers
national park visitors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help
national parks nationwide become leaders in combating global warming.

"The 300 million people who visit America's national parks annually
could be a tremendous force in combating global warming," said NPCA
Clean Air and Climate Programs Director Mark Wenzler. "We are giving
park visitors a tool to make a difference by cutting global warming
pollution and helping to protect the national parks they love."

Developed in concert with the Park Service's Climate Friendly Parks
program, the website,
[http://www.doyourpartparks.org](http://www.doyourpartparks.org/),
encourages national park visitors to reduce their greenhouse gas
emissions and thereby help to protect America's national parks from the
effects of global warming. Visitors choose from a drop-down list of 15
national parks, create a personal profile, and pledge to take
climate-friendly actions that would then "benefit" that individual
national park.

According to the website, if only five percent of national park visitors
substituted 10 percent of their current electricity use with greener
sources of power, they would save 11 billion lbs. of CO2 per year.

The 15 national parks listed on
[http://www.doyourpartparks.org](http://www.doyourpartparks.org/) are
among the 40 parks nationwide that have joined the Park Service's
Climate Friendly Parks program and committed to taking on-the-ground
action to address global warming, including working to achieve maximum
energy efficiency in park buildings and expanding park shuttle systems.
Participating parks featured on the website include Apostle Islands,
Glacier, Yosemite, Zion, and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing
Arts, among others.

[Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing
Arts](http://www.doyourpartparks.org/wotr) earned its distinction within
the Climate Friendly Parks Program by completing a Greenhouse Gas
Emission Inventory and developing an extensive Action Plan to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. The park also implemented climate-friendly
actions, such as improving visitor education about recycling through
signage, the park's website, and efforts with the Wolf Trap Foundation.

In 2007, NPCA published [*Unnatural
Disaster*](http://www.npca.org/globalwarming/), a report about the
ongoing and forecasted effects of global warming in national parks
nationwide, from increased flooding and fires to the loss of plants and
animals. Glaciers in the national parks of Alaska as well as North
Cascades and Mount Rainier National Parks will continue to disappear;
Joshua trees will no longer exist at Joshua Tree National Park; and a
rising sea will drown Everglades National Park and portions of historic
sites such as Colonial National Historical Park, site of the first
permanent English settlement at Jamestown. In its report, NPCA offered
recommended actions for federal, state, and local governments, and
individuals, to slow, and in some cases, halt the damage from global
warming to our national parks.

"The Do Your Part website provides national park visitors with
easy-to-follow opportunities to reduce our personal contributions to
global warming and thus, ensure a healthier park system for our children
and grandchildren," said Wenzler.

\# \# \#