At Lester Glenn Subaru, we know how important it is to break new ground. But what’s the use of taking steps toward the future if you’re walking alone?
Our Toms River Subaru dealership is proud to support the Subaru brand in its efforts to create a sustainable, innovative future, and we’re happy to know that the brand’s expertise will be imparted to some of the organizations that enrich our very communities. After being recognized as the first automotive assembly plant in the country to reach zero landfill status, the Subaru brand announced its plans to share best practices with the National Park Service.
The automaker’s partnership with non-profit national park advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) will lead to the testing of zero landfill practices in Denali, Grand Teton and Yosemite national parks. The end goal of the partnership is to significantly reduce the waste that ends up in landfills from national parks throughout the country.
The National Park Service handled more than 100 million pounds of waste in 2013, and much of that amount was generated as a result of the parks’ 273.6 million visitors. Amazingly, this amount does not even account for the waste handled at these parks by concessioners, who provide services such as transportation, shops, food and lodging to visitors.
The project launched with a visit to Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc., (SIA), where National Parks Conservation Association, National Park Service, National Park Foundation and concessioner representatives from each of the pilot parks met to see the brand’s sustainable efforts in practice and talk through the particular challenges facing each park. Then, brand sustainability experts made a stop at each pilot park to review the practices in place and explore opportunities to create a zero-landfill facility.
The program is expected to influence the steps that other national parks can take to develop zero-landfill implementation plans. Together with the participation of 2015 Subaru Legacy drivers visiting New Jersey parks, our Subaru dealership is eager to see the benefits of the project result in less waste and more enjoyment at our country’s national parks.
