Visitors to state parks like Green Lakes, Letchworth, or Clark Reservation might not notice how they’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The New York State Parks department says it’s already reached a 2025 goal of reducing energy use and building solar projects in their locations. Parks have replaced old, inefficient heating systems, switched to LED lighting, and improved energy efficiency in many of the five-thousand buildings in the various parks.
The plans are part of Build-Smart 2025, reducing emissions by 1400 tons and lowering energy costs by $260,000 annually. Parks has future goals of using 100% renewable energy by 2030 and having all electric vehicles in the parks fleet by 2035.
