Case Study

SEQUOIA & KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK

REMEMBER THE GOAL: EXPOSE, EDUCATE, INSPIRE

To expose visitors to a Single-Use-Plastic-Free world (national park stores, concessionaires and campgrounds), educate them about the nature of the problem, and then inspire them with awe-inducing nature to go back to their communities and be a catalyst for change.

SO WHY SEQUOIA/KC?

• Stunning landscape (those trees!) to engender outsized care

• Great management already in place

• Proximity to large population centers

• Proximity to the ocean (150 miles), and the Great Pacific Garbage patch

• Second oldest national park (1890) - so already a leader

• Proximity to Yosemite NP, a possible “marquee” candidate for the second-round of program roll-outs

• Located in California, the most environmentally progressive and legislatively influential state in the union

PROGRAM BENCHMARKS

(In order)

1) Program write-up - gather input from stakeholders, identify existing research data, generate broad sketch of park-specific plan

2) Baseline plastics census - develop testable metrics for key riverways, visitor hotspots and waste removal locations

3) Sequoia to Sea expedition (Moro Rock to Morro Bay) - gather data and determine the park’s exposure levels to non-collected plastic waste, as well as its level of interaction with external rivers and the Pacific Ocean

4) Signage - work with park personnel to synthesize overarching research and site-specific data into NP style-consistent signage covering education and rules. There are three key signage touch-points that need to be managed:

• at the time of reservation

• entering the park

• interactions at park service (and concessionaire) facilities.

5) Substitute Products - work with park management and concessionaires to identify non-SUP replacement products, and furthermore endeavor to develop “National Park” lines of those products that could provide incremental revenue to parks outside of traditional funding streams

6) Iterate - once-annually for three years revisit every aspect of the park-specific program and convene stakeholders for an update/revision colloquy