California Guest Services (CGS), which operates concessions in Lassen Volcanic National Park, is among four companies recently honored by the National Park Service (NPS) for environmental achievement.

The Red Bluff company received an honorable mention in the 2007 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards for its Green Buying program in which the NPS said it “significantly improved its purchases of environmentally friendly products” in food and beverage operations, serviceware and supplies, retail items, and janitorial and housekeeping.

Among its many environmental efforts, CGS was recognized for serving only organic, fair-trade certified and shade-grown coffess in all its concession operations, a change so well received by its guests that it expanded its use of these coffees to all its operations beyond Lassen Volcanic National Park. CGS strove to support local vendors by locating locally grown and manufactured products, such as Pacific Sun Olive Oil, a woman-owned, family-run, sustainable farming operation near Chico. CGS was cited such actions as helping in reducing the impact from trucking and shipping while benefitting the local economy.

Other CGS actions commended by the National Park Service included replacing plastic cups with Greenware Cups, removing 2,000 non-degradable plastic cups from the waste stream by switching to biodegradable, recycled, chlorine-free, compostable cups for use in hotel rooms, and replacing over 10,000 less environmentally preferable cups in retail operations. Similar actions replaced grocery bags, firelogs, insect candles, soap and janitorial supplies with more environmentally sensitive materials.

Of the four companies honored by the National Park Service this year, CGS was the only company not owned by the large National Park Service concessionaire, Xanterra Parks & Resorts. CGS is an operating company of The California Parks Companies, a family-owned company based in Red Bluff, Calif.

For more about the company and its operations, visit www.drakesbad.com and www.calparksco.com

Marshall Pike visits Lassen Volcanic National Park and its spitting fumeroles for California Fun.

Here’s a trip along the Pacific Crest Trail with stops at Drakesbad guest ranch and a hiker’s camp.