Sustainability

Solar Power, Electric Vehicle, Wood Products, & Recycling
Reducing our Carbon Footprint at Whiskeytown

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Suess’ The Lorax

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and the U.S. National Park Service takes sustainability and going green seriously. With human-caused climate change significantly increasing temperatures, wildfire risks, and public health threats within the park, our goal is to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions as much as possible. We hope you enjoy reading about our green efforts on this page…

 

Close-up view of Whiskeytown's Grizzly Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Solar Power Farm.

Solar Power is Renewable and Non-Polluting

Did you know that Whiskeytown’s Visitor Center lights, parking lot lights, and our Grizzly Creek water treatment facility is powered by the sun? Solar panels at these facilities convert the sun’s energy into electricity. Solar power is both renewable and non-polluting; it does not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Learn more here.

 

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area's first partial electric vehicle. It gets 81 miles to the gallon!!!

Electric Vehicles Emit Substantially Less Carbon Dioxide than Normal Vehicles

In addition to utilizing solar power, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is further embracing sustainability through the use of a Mitsubishi Outlander partial electric vehicle. The park's Division of Interpretation acquired this vehicle in February 2024.

While electric vehicles often rely on electricity generated from fossil fuels, they still emit far less carbon dioxide compared to traditional vehicles. Thus the shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles is a significant step in reducing carbon emissions. Since acquiring the Outlander, the park has enjoyed an impressive 81 miles per gallon in the Outlander!

 

This interpretive park ranger is very excited about our wooden badges!

Wooden Junior Ranger Badges: Wood Products Store Carbon Dioxide

While trees store carbon dioxide, many people are surprised to learn that the C02 from the tree remains stored in wood products. And so, while making plastic requires using significant amounts of fossil fuel, the use of wood products actually helps battle climate change. As such, Whiskeytown purchases and obtains only wooden rather than plastic Junior Ranger badges.

 

One of Whiskeytown's routine maintenance employees sorting recyclable items at the park's recycling center.

NPS

Recycling Conserves Energy

Did you know that over the past 15 years, Whiskeytown has gathered from around the park and then recycled 4.2 million pounds of aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles? Recycling these items generated $65,000 in revenue for the park. Even more important than providing a revenue source, recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and also conserves energy - recycling cans and bottles requires significantly less energy than producing new ones from raw materials.

When visiting the park, please do your part by placing your aluminum cans and glass bottles in recycling receptacles. And if you live in Redding or other local communities, be sure and recycle your #1 and #2 plastic bottles by placing them in your recycling dumpster at home.

 

The Beach Bus!

How You Can Be Green and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint During Your Visit to Whiskeytown

Take the Beach Bus

Operating from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the Redding Area Bus Authority operates this free public transportation service from downtown Redding to the following locations in the park: the Visitor Center, Whiskeytown Dam, Brandy Creek Beach, Brandy Creek Marina, and Oak Bottom. Click here for the specific schedule.Taking public transportation instead of your own vehicle reduces congestion in Whiskeytown’s parking lots and also reduces your carbon footprint. Thank you for riding the Beach Bus.

 

Close-up view of the back of a Whiskeytown Environmental School t-shirt.

Participate in our 2025 Six for 60 Stewardship Challenge

The national recreation area turns 60 this year, and to celebrate this milestone and encourage conservation for the next 60 years and beyond, we are seeking park stewards like yourself! This self-guided, year-long program involves you completing at least six park conservation or education-focused activities, documenting your activities, and then getting some prizes from us upon your completion. Learn more about the 6 for 60 Stewardship Challenge.

 

Reusable bottles rule!

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

Plastic products are made out of oil. Reduce your carbon footprint by using a reusable water bottle instead of a single use plastic water bottle. Be sure and use your reusable bottle at Whiskeytown. Water-filling stations are specifically located outside the Visitor Center, at Judge Francis Carr Powerhouse Day Use Area, at the Oak Bottom Tent Campground restroom (the closest restroom to the entrance of the campground), and at the front building entrance to Park Headquarters.

 

Here is additional Information from the National Park Service about how you can be green…
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