MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK (Washington) - OFFICIALS at national parks across the US are trying to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by cleaning up their operations, with the help of federal stimulus dollars.

Visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park may soon hop on hydrogen-powered shuttles, while those visiting parts of Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California will find mostly organic food grown within 50 kilometers rather than shipped from across the country.

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado runs shuttles so backpackers don't have to drive to trailheads. Other parks such as Wisconsin's Apostle Islands National Lakeshore are asking visitors to do their part with tours, education programs and public awareness campaigns.

'We're basically trying, without hitting people over the head, to say this is an issue,' said Bob Krumenaker, Apostle Islands' superintendent.

The National Park Service and the Environmental Protection Agency have started the Climate Friendly Parks network program to help parks address climate change.

Parks must measure their amounts of emissions, come up with plans to curb them and educate the public on what they can do to help.

Seventeen parks, including the Everglades in Florida and Fire Island National Seashore in New York, have already created plans. Sixty parks are developing their own plans.

'We know we have to green our own house,' said Sonya Capek, the Pacific West region's environmental program coordinator. 'It's part of our mission to protect and preserve the resources.'

National parks, like other federal agencies, have already been under orders to reduce energy and gasoline use.

But the Obama administration has pushed greening parts of government further, including replacing government fleets with more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. -- AP