Apple Celebrates U.S. National Parks With Apple Pay Donations, Apple Watch Challenge, and More

Apple today announced that it is celebrating 106 years of the U.S. National Park Service with donations for purchases and ways to learn about and support America's parks.

Apple national parks 2022 Mesa Verde Conservation
Starting today, Apple is donating $10 to the National Park Foundation for every Apple Pay purchase on apple.com, the Apple Store app, or at an ‌Apple Store‌ in the U.S. Last year, Apple's support for the National Park Foundation helped young people participate in a service corps program at national parks.

As part of the celebration, Apple is showcasing relevant content and educational resources across its services, such as a curated Native American history guide in Apple Maps and collections of episodes centering on Indigenous voices in the Podcasts app.

Apple Watch users can earn a limited edition National Parks Activity Challenge award later this week. On August 27, users can earn the award by completing a hike, walk, run, or wheelchair workout of a mile or more.

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Top Rated Comments

BWhaler Avatar
34 months ago
Wonderful.

National Parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst. — Wallace Stegner
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ILoveCalvinCool Avatar
34 months ago

....I don't know what to tell you. It is so slimy.
Brother, there are slimier things out there than a large donation to national parks. All charitable contributions are tax-deductible. This doesn't make charitable giving suspect in and of itself. Apple could have donated to a lot of things. Find something else to complain about.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheColtr Avatar
34 months ago

Go find another way to defend Apple blindly. Tell me how they have donated to a cause that wasn't a PR move or a tax write off. I'm waiting....
Just because Apple, or anyone, benefits from a donation doesn’t make the donation a net bad. The reason for tax deductions is to encourage people and companies to donate to causes that are for the public good.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Channan Avatar
34 months ago

All the dislikes lol. If you can't see that this is them trying to push sales for the store AND Apple Pay and at the same time claim a tax write off at your expense.....I don't know what to tell you. It is so slimy. They get to triple dip:

1) Sales of products
2) Apple Pay transaction fees
2a) Potential Apple Card fees
3) Tax write off

I am all for the national parks....but let's not pretend this is Apple doing a nice thing.
Tax write off at our expense? Money back on write offs is never more than the amount donated. So even if it means Apple pays less in taxes, it doesn’t mean they’re coming out with more money in the end.

Plus, it’s far better than a lot of these other businesses that just ask their customers to donate money when they make a purchase. Now that’s slimy.

Also, sure it gives them good PR, but how many people do you think are going to make a purchase now that weren’t already going to before this?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svish Avatar
34 months ago
The Apple watch challenge on 27th might be available only in the US!!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarlJ Avatar
34 months ago

.....I don't know what to tell you. It is so slimy.
...
I am all for the national parks....but let's not pretend this is Apple doing a nice thing.
So, I presume you will be donating a larger amount of money to National Parks than Apple does?

Find some other way to complain about Apple.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)