In celebration of the 103rd anniversary of the US National Park Service, Apple will donate $10 for select Apple Pay transactions. The company is also promoting activities and content relating to national parks.
Summer is a major travel season, and for many, US national parks are the ideal destination. With over 333 million visits per year, national parks are amongst the most popular tourist attractions. Unfortunately, popularity has resulted in worn out infrastructure and damage to the environment.
Apple is aware of both the popularity of national parks and the challenges of overuse. From August 17 through the 22nd, Apple will donate $10 to the National Park Foundation for every Apple Pay purchase made at the Apple Store, using the Apple Store App and apple.com. All transactions must occur within the US.
Donations support nationwide programs to help introduce youth to the national parks. Many of these children come from underprivileged backgrounds, and are unable to access national parks. Everything from elementary school field trips to service projects is covered by this program.
People interested in exploring national parks can take advantage of Apple’s activities and related content. The TV app will include free content from the Smithsonian Channel Plus and other related TV shows and movies. A nature themed music playlist, “Nature Awaits”, is available to Apple Music subscribers. The company is hosting a variety of Podcasts and collections of Apple Books for the occasion.
Apple Watch users can participate in a physical event to earn animated stickers and an Activity award. On August 25th, users can run, walk, hike or use a wheelchair to travel a distance of at least three miles. Celebrating the Grand Canyon National Park’s centennial, this trek symbolizes the journey across the South Kaibab Trail to Cedar Ridge and back. One must have iOS 12.1.3 (or later) and watchOS 5.1.3 (or later) to participate in the Activity challenge.