NEWS RELEASE
National Park Service
For Release: September 11, 2000 Contact: David Barna (314) 516-8214
Carol Anthony (202) 208-6843
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GOES GREEN!
Sustainable Practices Showcased at
"Discovery 2000: The NPS General Conference"

The National Park Service (NPS) is going green!!! Of course, the NPS has always been the greenest of the federal agencies, but it has now established a comprehensive Environmental Leadership program to strive for environmental excellence in all of its programs and activities. Through this program, the NPS will demonstrate to the public that they are committed to leading the charge to "green" the government through the implementation and showcasing of sustainable practices. "Discovery 2000: The NPS General Conference" which is being held in St. Louis, Missouri, this week will showcase sustainable/green practices and projects taking place throughout the agency. The highlight of the exhibits will be an Ecology tent (eco-tent), which will be set up outside the hotel and will demonstrate how habitats can teach people to live more sustainably. Additionally, there will be demonstration of how glass and other trash can be used to create valuable artwork. The conference, convened by NPS Director Robert Stanton, is an opportunity for more than 1,100 present and future leaders of the nearly 400 national parks and programs across the country to focus on sustainability as a key vision of the Park Service for the 21st century.

In addition to the four program tracks covering cultural resources, natural resources, education, and leadership, "Discovery 2000" will actively promote the NPS Environmental Leadership and sustainability message throughout the entire week. This will be evidenced by the presence of more than 20 vendor exhibits that will offer "green" products and services for sale to the NPS and other agencies. These include products such as environmentally preferable maintenance chemicals and pesticides, "green" office furnishings, renewable energy products, and others. Visitors can view these exhibits, as well as the eco-tent, at the Regal Riverfront Hotel from 6-8 PM on Monday, September 11, from 9AM - 6PM on Tuesday, September 12, and from 9AM - 1PM on Thursday, September 13. The conference hotel was selected, in part, for its own green practices.

Many national parks are already working hard to be "greener" in the 21st century. For example, Joshua Tree and Yellowstone National Parks in California and Wyoming, respectively, are making great strides in leading their communities towards sound waste management and energy management solutions. Fort McHenry National Monument in Maryland is providing greener landscape management. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan thinks green every time their efforts go into building design and construction. And, being green when it comes to waste management is at the top of the list for Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site in Pennsylvania and North Cascades National Park in Washington.

The NPS is committed to demonstrating environmental leadership by incorporating sustainable practices and programs that minimize environmental impacts, embrace resource protection, and educate visitors on those efforts. For more information on ways to go greener in your park, neighborhood, or home, check out the NPS Environmental Leadership website at www.nps.gov/renew. Also, look for the "Go Greener" bookmark at "Discovery 2000" that will highlight "green" efforts at these parks and many more.

Additional information about the conference, speakers, logistics, and sessions is provided at www.nps.gov/discovery2000.

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