West Virginia State Parks green initiatives help save the environment
WV state parks celebrate preserving and protecting the environment every day of the year.
We celebrate Earth Day every year, but every day is Earth Day for West Virginia’s state parks and forests! The holiday, established in 1970, signifies the birth of the modern environmental movement to maintain a healthy and sustainable environment. The staff of West Virginia State Parks understands how important it is to preserve and protect our natural areas. As a result, the parks system has adopted green initiatives that better the environment. Some of these initiatives include:
- Switching from incandescent lighting to energy-efficient LED lights
- Installing low-flow toilets to reduce water consumption
- Providing recycling bins for guests and park operations
- Replacing Styrofoam coffee cups with recyclable paper coffee cups
But that’s not all. We’re constantly adding programs and tools to make our parks and forests environmentally friendly. Just take a look at what we have going on.
Educational activities and work parties
Our parks and forests frequently host events and activities designed to entertain and educate on every subject from wildlife conservation to the preservation of ecosystems. If you feel like pitching in, you can even join a work party to help pick up trash or clear brush from hiking trails. Check the West Virginia State Parks calendar for upcoming events or ask your park superintendent how you can help. This is a great activity for youth groups!
Getting creative with recycling
West Virginia State Parks have joined forces with Wild Mountain Soap Company to recycle and reuse soap left behind by guests. Leftover bits and pieces of unused soaps that are cut from the tops and sides of the soap company’s blocks are ground in with a new batch of soap, repackaged and sent to community organizations that help people in need.
And don’t throw that cardboard away! Blackwater Falls State Park hosts two popular annual events that challenge participants to get creative with recycled cardboard. In the Carboard and Duct Tape Sled Race and the Carboard and Duct Tape Boat Race, contestants exercise their creative powers to design and build the fastest sled (or a boat that won’t sink!) that gets them to the finish line first.
Electric car charging stations
Do you drive an electric car? Electric vehicle charging stations are available at Blackwater Falls, Cacapon, Canaan Valley, Chief Logan, Hawks Nest, Pipestem, Stonewall, Twin Falls and Tygart Lake. These lodge parks are spread far enough apart that electric car owners can drive through the Mountain State and juice up at state parks along the way. These stations are free to use even if you’re not an overnight guest, but plan to stay for the night or longer and enjoy each park. If you’re just passing through the area, stop in for a meal at the lodge restaurant or visit the park gift shop while your car is charging.
Plan a park visit to see for yourself all the great green initiatives we’ve undertaken!
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