Accessory Doll Gift Gras Jester Mardi Blog

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK—Yellowstone’s newest gift store has a single purpose: to inspire visitors to help protect national parks. Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of lodges, gift shops, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone National Park, has converted its gift shop in the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel into an interpretive facility dedicated to informing park visitors about climate change and offering environmentally friendly products.

The store was dedicated January 7, 2010. Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, spoke at the dedication and gave a keynote address following the event. The event was also attended by some of the store’s key green vendors and nonprofit partners including Kind Coffee, Ecowood Display and the Yellowstone Association. Dung and Dunger, which sells bison dung paper notecards and artwork in the store, provided a bison dung paper-based “dedication ribbon.”

Called “For Future Generations: Yellowstone Gifts,” the store opened last summer after a sustainable remodel and the addition of new green products. Since then, interpretive displays have been incorporated into the store design. These new displays focus on the impact of climate change on Yellowstone and other national parks. New product environmental scorecards reinforce that message as well.

“We want the visitors to know that by recycling an aluminum can, purchasing sustainable products or turning down the heat, they’re not only helping the environment; they’re also supporting the mission of the National Park Service of ensuring that Yellowstone—and all its inhabitants—remain for future generations to enjoy,” said Beth Pratt, director of environmental affairs for Xanterra’s Yellowstone operations.

Sustainable Materials Used in Remodeling

In keeping with the environmental theme, materials used in the remodeling of the store are reclaimed, recycled or sourced from sustainable operations. For example, shelving was constructed out of reclaimed wood, some of it from buildings in the park, including flooring from the Old Faithful Inn and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. The new floor was constructed of Tamarac harvested from a healthy forest in Montana. Lighting comes from energy-efficient, minimum-impact LED (Light-Emitting Diodes) bulbs.

Each product sold also has an original “sustainability scorecard” describing its sustainable attributes. Conventional items are offered alongside sustainable options providing shoppers with the necessary information to make gift choices based on their own values. “We believe this is the first retail store to extensively utilize a transparent and extensive environmental scorecard,” noted Pratt.

Displays include information on the threats climate change poses to our national parks, what the various entities in the park are doing to minimize their environmental impacts and what techniques visitors can use at home. “Xanterra is striving on a daily basis to develop new ways to protect the environment,” said Pratt. “Our hope is that what we learn can be used by others on a much broader scale to improve global environmental health.” The displays will also change over time based upon new information from the environmental community as well as feedback from park visitors and company employees.

Xanterra’s environmental program, called Ecologix, is widespread. Last year the company diverted 72 percent of its solid waste from landfills into other areas such as recycling, reusing and composting. Over the past eight years the company has reduced its overall energy use by 11 percent and its water usage by 18 percent. Xanterra recently began using amenities such as cruelty-free shampoo, conditioner and amenities bottles made of corn starch that are compostable. This single initiative will divert more than 280,000 plastic bottles annually from the waste stream.

Go to Xanterra.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, May 8, 2009 – Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of lodges, gift shops, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone National Park, will convert its gift shop in the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel into an interpretive facility dedicated to informing park visitors about climate change and offering environmentally friendly products. “Although other stores may offer some of these products, we believe this is the first retail operation – in a national park or elsewhere – devoted to interpreting climate change,” said Beth Pratt, director of environmental affairs for Xanterra’s Yellowstone operations. “Our goal for this  store is to connect the park visitor to the threats climate change and pollution pose to our national parks—and our world—with the need to make sustainable consumer choices.” To be called “For Future Generations,” the store will open May 8 for the season and will be fully converted into an interpretive facility by mid-summer. The store will feature displays that will educate the public about environmental degradation while raising awareness of the implications of consumer choices such as product purchases and recycling. “We want the visitors to know that by recycling an aluminum can, purchasing sustainable products or turning down the heat, they’re not only helping the environment, but they’re also supporting the mission of the National Park Service of ensuring that Yellowstone – and all its inhabitants – remain for future generations to enjoy, “said Pratt. In keeping with the environmental theme, materials used in the remodeling of the store will be reclaimed, recycled or sourced from sustainable operations. For example, shelving will be constructed out of reclaimed wood, some of it from buildings in the park, including flooring from the Old Faithful Inn and Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. The new floor is constructed of Tamarac harvested from a “healthy forest” in Montana. Lighting will come from energy-efficient, minimum-impact LED (Light-Emitting Diodes) bulbs. Each product sold will also have an “environmental scorecard” describing the sustainable attributes. Conventional items will be offered alongside sustainable options. “Because sustainability means different things to different people, we will offer a variety of products that meet varying definitions of ‘sustainable,’” said Pratt. “For some people, products made locally are the most important factor while others place the most significance on organic materials. Still others see recycled content as the key.” Displays will include information on the threats climate change poses to our national parks, what the various entities in the park are doing to minimize their environmental impacts and what techniques visitors can use at home. “At Xanterra, we are striving on a daily basis to innovate new ways to protect the environment,” said Pratt. “Our hope is that what we learn can be utilized by others on a much broader scale to improve global environmental health.” The displays will also change over time based upon new information from the environmental community as well as feedback from park visitors and company employees. As the operator of nine lodges in Yellowstone as well as restaurants, activities and gift shops, Xanterra’s environmental program, called Ecologix, is widespread. Last year the company diverted 72 percent of its solid waste from landfills into other areas such as recycling, reusing and composting. Over the past eight years the company has reduced its overall energy use by 11 percent and its water usage by 18 percent.  Xanterra recently began using amenities such as cruelty-free shampoo, conditioner and lotion bottles made of corn starch that are compostable.  This single initiative will divert more than 280,000 plastic bottles annually from the waste stream. General reservations for accommodations, tours and activities can be made by calling Xanterra’s Yellowstone reservations at 307-344-7311, toll-free at 866-GEYSERLAND (1-866-439-7375) or online at www.travelyellowstone.com.