For companies in the Outdoor Industry day-to-day operations that protect and preserve the environment naturally make good sense. So-called green business practices are meant to be sustainable, using a minimum amount energy and mostly renewable resources to create the products and services that drive our economy.

And for Andrew Winston it’s become abundantly clear that despite any political and social ideology that espouses the virtues of capitalism above all else green technology in commercial manufacturing and production is the best way to for businesses of every variety to assure their long-term profitability and prosperity. Having begun his career as a traditional business consultant Winston said he started taking a closer look into how business and the environment might work together.

Winston:

So I went back to school for an environmental management degree and decided that I wanted to marry business and the environment and figure out how to combine my business background and what was just an interest and passion about resource use, what the foundations of business really are, which is stuff and material and how we’re using too much of it. So it came from a place of practicality and profitability almost, even more than traditional quote tree hugging. That was just about business can’t survive like this. And that means our society can’t.

The author of two books Green to Gold and Green Recovery Andrew Winston was the keynote speaker at the biannual breakfast meeting of the Outdoor Industry Association at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City Utah. There he shared with an audience of true believers his view on the importance of sustainability in business and why in the long run really there is no alternative.

JTP:

One of the things I find fascinating about your conversation is that you talk about issues, especially issues that you describe as “TINA Issues” And that stands for “There Is No alternative”. What are a few examples of these TINA issues? And what do they mean when it comes to reducing sustainability costs?

Winston:

Tina I’m really using in the broadest since. In dealing with climate change, dealing with biodiversity loss, dealing with waste, there is no alternative. We don’t have a choice any more for a lot of reasons and the forces driving that include just increased resource cost and reduced resource availability as the number of people on the planet who are getting richer grows. There’s just not enough stuff. That’s sort of the obvious one. But there’s also transparency, the technology driven demand for knowing what’s in everything. And so this just opens up companies and they have to start talking about what they’re doing. And that means they actually have to start changing what they’re doing. You can’t be transparent about a process that they you don’t want to be a transparent about. So it means that you start changing products, what’s in it? Who made it? Where was it made? Were they paid a living wage? These things start being open to the world. So there is no choice. You can’t compete in a world where your customers, especially big business customers won’t put your products on the shelf if they don’t have the data, if they don’t know how it was made.

JTP:

And you refer to certain technologies that allow consumers to very quickly and easily determine how much of an impact these particular products have. But you also said that we’re a point right now where green will always be small because people aren’t prepared to pay for something that is just green. If that’s the case, at what point do we shift our thinking to such a way that we will go to a sustainable product as opposed to something that’s just green.

Winston:

Well, let me clarify that. What I said was the number people who pay more just for green with remain small. And that’s partly out of just ability to. Not everybody can afford to buy organic food or a more expensive car that has the hybrid or electric engine. So there has to be a more complete value story told by products and that might mean that we develop products that don’t have trade-offs, that don’t cost more. That’s what you see companies starting to do. What is becoming a vast majority of people is those that do want it all, those who are conflicted about it, that care about where their products came from and who made them and want for the same price and quality the greener more sustainable option. And so that is growing to nearly everybody. So that is another one of those TINA things. You can’t not play in this arena if you’re a company putting out a product or a service, because everybody is going to be looking for those dimensions. And it’s a tiebreaker in so many ways. And so I think the difference between green and sustainable is a semantic one in a lot of ways. You know I think sustainable encompasses probably a little more social issues, labor, than what people usually mean by green. By people use them pretty much interchangeably a lot of the time.

JTP:

And I think that some people in the business community shy away from green because it sounds like its expensive. It sounds like it’s irrelevant to their bottom-line. But you make the point that green is actually good business. Exactly how do we as business people determine that green makes good sense from a production standpoint and also from a retail sales standpoint?

Winston:

At its core, the most simplistic view green is about doing more with less. As one CEO said to me, without getting into climate change or taking a stand on it he said, “Isn’t better to produce less carbon than more?” It just costs less. Anything that isn’t used in a product, any thing that’s pollution is waste. That’s expense. This is really basic stuff in a lot of ways. Getting lean to save money and save it quickly, in things like…We’re discovering the inefficiencies in our system, in our buildings in our distribution are vast and we’re finding massive savings and very quick paybacks. And that’s just straight business value. That’s even including all the softer intangible value that does matter to the value of business, employee loyalty, customer loyalty, walking the talk, doing the right thing, these things that attract, especially the next generation, of workers and consumers and enable you to tell stories about where your products come from. So it’s good business because it’s getting incredibly expensive to not do this. I think that’s become very clear to companies. And again, going back to just resource prices, just the inputs. As I mentioned in my talk, Coca-Cola had spent $800 million more last year on corn for their products because the cost of everything is basically going up, fundamentally going up. So if you don’t figure out how to do things with far less stuff you’re just going to get priced out. It’s going to be too expensive for you to operate.

JTP:

You describe the importance of companies becoming lean, smart, creative and engaged. And through the course of all that you’re also recommending exercising just good business practices. It sounds to me like you’re pretty optimistic with some degree of recovery. Is that accurate in my assumption?

Winston:

Optimism is a tough one. I made that my New Year’s resolution this, was to be optimistic. I think you need to be optimistic in the longer run. I think the short run is harder. I mean we’re heading in the wrong direction on most metrics. But you don’t hear a large company in the world any more completely dismissing sustainability because again, they’re seeing their input prices rise. They’re hearing the questions from their customers, from their employees. There is no alternative, right? There’s no choice. The number of companies that I think see how deep the change needs to be or how fast things are going to change I think that number is still very small. So I’m optimistic in the long run yes, that we’re going to get this and we’re going to get it, right? And the world’s moving to a green technology. I mean the electrical grid will be mostly renewable based at some point. It’s a matter of how fast. You know? The economics on that will win out and it will be cheaper. Fundamentally it’s already getting cheaper in many areas to use solar or to use wind or do these kinds of things. So that’s going to be the cheaper option. It’s just a matter of is it fast enough to stave off some of the worst problems we may face.

JTP:

You started your conversation with the issues of politicizing the green economy and green issues. This is a question that just occurs to me but I’m curious to know if you can speak to this with regard to the production of fossil fuels and having fossil fuels be the core if not the basis of our entire economy. Is it possible to make a shift to a more green-based sustainable system and forgo our petroleum-based system in a quick and easy manner?

Winston:

Well like I said, we will get there. The economics are already starting to win out because again I’m fairly simplistic about economic on things like this. Renewable energy has zero variable cost. Meaning, once you’ve got it on your house, on your building, get the wind farm up, it doesn’t cost anything to get fuel. That’s not true of fossil fuels. You’ve got to dig it out, you have to mine it, you got to refine it. Over time, zero cost will win. There’s upfront costs. There’s technology. We have to bring down the cost as we get to scale. But that’s happening very, very quickly. The cost of solar is down two-thirds or so in the last four or five years. I mean it is coming down very quickly. The quick and easy part is where the political stuff comes in. The industries that are still fossil fuel-based, the industries that are producing those, they have a lot of power and they’re sitting on a lot of assets. There’s also two different questions here. There’s the electric grid and there’s mobile sources, you know cars. And those are two very different conversations. You know coal is the issue on the grid and oil is the issue on mobile sources. They have very different challenges and economic models and reasons for moving away from them at whatever pace. I think we’ll move away from coal fairly quickly. Natural gas is turning into a pretty viable and good solution as an interim fuel. And then we’ll get to mostly renewables on the grid. It’s going to take some time, but we’re going that way there are countries like Germany that have said, we’re going to be 100 percent renewable and they’re going there, fast.

JTP:

You said that the economics will win out. At the end of the day what can we most look forward to in this most successful paradigm?

Winston:

It’s an interesting question because what we often do or forget to do in sustainability discussions is paint the picture of a better world. It’s easy to get into the doom and gloom and say, “if we don’t do this” we’re going to have all these problems, quality of life is going to drop. But to remind people, every time we’ve cleaned the air, for example, that’s been kind of the clearest kind of set of regulations around the world for the last 40 years, people get healthier. There’re few dying of asthma and coughing. We sort of forget, we take for granted almost how much healthier we are when we clean the environment. When we produce things using methods that’s much cleaner, that there’s a healthier better life ahead of us that is longer lasting, that is easier to live, that is cheaper. This is the part that is harder to convince people of. It’s actually cheaper. I now have solar panels on my house. They will take a while to pay off, but they will pay off for many, many years and I will get energy for free. Every day that it’s sunny that’s cheaper. It’s a better an inexpensive way of living. We don’t often paint a picture of how much better our life will be in the future, in a cleaner more stable, not reliant upon fuel from a dangerous part of the world kind of way. That’s a better life

Andrew Winston is an international authority on sustainable business practices. You can learn more about his work and finding the gold in green online at AndrewWinston.com

Music this week by Jake Shimabukuro

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support of sponsor Patagonia. Check their latest conservation and new media initiatives on their blog the cleanestline.com. Additional support is also provided by the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. Discover new technologies, products and services for your next great adventure all under one big tent. Visit Outdoor Retailer.com

Thanks for listening. But you know I want hear from you. So please drop me a note with your questions comments and criticism to info@joytripproject.com. Until next time take care.

“Adding environmental education to The Lorax movie website is important because this is the message of the book and it should be honored. Dr. Seuss wanted people to be inspired by The Lorax to help the environment,” Mr. Well wrote in the petition. “Currently, the movie website, trailer, and story summary have no mention of helping our planet! This is a missed opportunity. There are big problems in our natural world and we need more and more people helping out.”

I for one can’t wait to see this film. A sucker for cartoons there’s nothing I love better than to have my favorites brought to life on the big screen. First published in 1971 “The Lorax” is a cautionary tale that illustrates what will happen when the interests of commerce are elevated above the protection of the natural world. The 4th-graders’ observation makes me wonder if there may indeed be a dilution of the story’s clear and profound environmental message. We must speak for the trees.

I recall in 1988 “The Lorax” was banned by the school district of Laytonville, California because it “criminalized the forestry industry”. Apparently members of that community feared local children were being manipulated into believing that their parents’ livelihood was derived through evil means. This bit of ACLU history is perhaps a precursor to the recent declarations by Republican activists that the latest Muppet Movie is in fact a piece of communist propaganda to demonize capitalism and the right to earn a buck.

If nothing else all of this hullabaloo demonstrates the absurdity of anything taken to extremes. Though Dr. Seuss advocated the preservation of trees in his book, it’s likely he would have favored a sustainable practice of planting and extraction, thoughtfully cultivating supply to meet reasonable demand. That’s just good business.

And while corporate zealots and eco-fascists might accuse each other of cause-celeb fanaticism, when it comes to entertaining and educating children it’s better to let them have their cartoons like this one that teach the consequences of our actions. “The Lorax” isn’t about assigning blame or imposing job-killing regulations to protect the environment. In the end the book demonstrates how through personal responsibility we can each work to set things right even when they go horribly wrong. And that’s a good lesson to be learned for 4^th graders and adults alike. ~ JEM

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support of sponsor Patagonia

The Condit Dam went down yesterday. Check out this great mini-mentary from the Oregonian. ‘Nough said.

Ken Champion, a resident of Wilson, New York, an upstate town on Lake Ontario, found an alligator in a creek near his house. Champion called the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) immediately when he spotted the 30-inch long reptile. DEC officers then took the alligator to a local veterinarian where it underwent a close examination.

The species is obviously not native to the greater Buffalo area, a region that averages almost 100 inches of snow each year. Officials speculate that the reptile may have been an abandoned pet. But perhaps it made a long and arduous journey, up through the swamps of the south to the rivers of the mid-Atlantic and further north—a theory worth speculation.

[Via: WGRZ]

[Photo via: Flickr]

If you happen to be in Portland, Ore. on September 9, be sure to check out the special showing of The River Why at Hollywood Theatre. Proceeds from the special screening will benefit The River Network, a Portland-based national nonprofit that has been working to save and restore rivers across the nation since 1988.

Actors Zach Gilford, William Hurt and Alex Hurt, along with Producer Kristi Denton Cohen will be around before the premiere, as well as after for post-screening Q&A.

The event will also be a kick-off leading up to the thirteenth annual National River Rally, which The River Network is bringing to Portland for the first time May 4–7, 2012. River Rally is the largest national gathering of river and watershed conservation leaders. To learn more, check out the website.

Also (yes, there’s an also), The River Why is part of the Active Cinema movement, aiming to inspire film-goers to take an active role in protecting their natural landscapes. As part of the screening, people are encouraged to take part in the Clackamas River Cleanup on Sunday, September 11.

Oh, and there’ll be prizes, too.

The River Why will screen at Hollywood Theatre on Friday, September 9, at 7pm. For ticketing information, click here.

You may have never heard of the artist, Christo, by name. But you’ve likely seen his unique artwork in images or in person somewhere in the past decade or two. Perhaps his most famously recognized piece of work was ‘The Gates‘, an installation of bright orange fabric panels set among neon orange poles that stretched across 23 miles of walkways in New York City’s Central Park.

He works almost exclusively with fabric, and has literally wrapped a coastline, trees and monuments with different kinds of it. Until a few years ago, Christo worked with fellow artist (also his wife) Jeanne-Claude, who passed away in November of 2009, on these projects. One of their artistic aspirations was to drape shimmering silver-colored fabric over several miles of the Arkansas River in Southern Colorado, a project called ‘Over the River‘. And Christo, still working on this dream, made headway in late June when the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Board decided to support the endeavor. According to the Denver Post, the Board’s agreement included a $320,000 fee for “state park staff time,” as well as a “recreation impact fee” of $230,000. From a Colorado State Parks press release about the Board’s approval:

“In any project of this magnitude, there will be benefits as well as potential adverse impacts,” said Gary Butterworth, the Colorado State Parks Board Chairman. “In taking action today, the board believes that the benefits of the Over the River project, not only to the state park system but to all of Colorado, will enhance our ability to serve the needs of all residents and encourage outdoor recreation.”

But opponents of the project argue that in failing to require a special use permit from Christo, the State Board is simply ignoring its own rules and regulations. As such, many against ‘Over the River’ are fighting back–a group consisting of several who live along the Arkansas River itself chose to sue the state park board last week in Denver District Court.

According to the Denver Post, those opposed to Christo’s installation are concerned primarily with the potential environmental impacts it may have on the natural habitat surrounding the river. They’re also worried it may affect the livelihood of those who live near and fish in the 42-mile stretch of the Arkansas River Christo wants to utilize for his artwork. In their decision to sue the Park Board, the group stated that ‘Over the River’ would require around 9,000 anchor points along the river and would bring in an estimated 344,000 visitors. From the Denver Post:

“Our motivation here is, first, to protect the Arkansas River trout fishery; second, to give voice to the angling public; and then protect our livelihoods,” said Greg Felt, whose Salida-based ArkAnglers fly-fishing guide service and fly shop joined the Rags Over the River opposition group in filing the lawsuit last week in Denver District Court.”

In the Colorado State Parks Press Release, Chairman Butterworth stated, “For those who may be adversely impacted, we have a record of continuing to partner and listen to constituents, and working to address those concerns.”

[Via: The Denver Post]

The Federal Government has given Hawaii about $400,000 in funds to pay for improvements to National and State Park areas. This comes as a result of “high demand” for repairs on heavily used recreation sites that need to be improved for outdoor recreation use. From The Republic:

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources wants to use the funds to match state money paying for park improvements at the Ka Iwi State Scene Shoreline on Oahu and repairs to the Makupuu Lighthouse trail and lookouts.

Part of the funds will also be put toward improving Kauai’s Polihale State Park. Regardless of where, specifically, the improvements are made, the Federal Government’s funds will certainly improve the quality of outdoor recreation that the public is able to experience.

[Via: The Republic]

[Photo Via: puuikibeach]

Musicwood is a documentary film that follows a group of the world’s finest guitar makers as they attempt to save the largest National Forest in the United States, the Tongass National Forest in Alaska. This area is also the largest temperate rainforest in the world, and is home to outstanding old-growth forestry.

The film follows the coalition of guitar makers as they face a logging company owned by Native Americans whose history in the area dates back 10,000 years. And it promises to delve into both sides of the story, digging deep into issues of cultural history, ecology and the future of our planet’s forests.

Now, we’re here to let you know that there’s just over 24 hours left to donate to the Musicwood Kickstarter campagin–all pledges must be received by 5 p.m. tomorrow, Friday June 24th. You can back the project for as little as $1 or as much as $10,000 (plus), for which the Musicwood folk will come to your hometown and present a private screening of the film for you and your friends. If 10 grand is a bit out of your budget, donate a smaller amount asap and you could get a personalized song written about you, performed by Musicwood Producer Josh Granger . The first 15 people to back the project today will get this unique reward, so go donate, now–right here.

This May, a soon-to-be-demolished pool in East London, England was turned into a world-class BMX bike park in a matter of just six days of construction. The entire project was spearheaded by Nike, who chose to launch the park, aptly named ‘The Pool‘, by inviting 40 world-class riders for a BMX competition event. What’s more, ‘The Pool’ has since been open to the public. The first open session is over–but from May 28th through June 5th, as well as June 11th and 12th, visitors can experience the park for free.

[Via: Nike 6.0 on Vimeo]

During the five day sailing journey from Tahiti, much of what I expected to happen–did not. Being extremely sea sick for the first three days was not on my list of to-dos. Fishing four out of the five days but to no avail was unfortunate, as no fish tissue or liver samples were taken. Trawling for plastic also did not take place as much as I had hoped.

What did happen, however, was an amazing, educational experience nonetheless and a brutally beautiful reminder that the ocean is a humbling, giant, misunderstood, full-of-life, windy and absolutely awesome place that deserves much respect, attention and love.

There is nothing like a tight, hot, stinky and I’m-unable-to-keep-anything-down-for-more-than-five-minutes living situation to make 14 individuals become intimate, fast. From around the world, with different ages, backgrounds and views on life, the interesting crew had much to converse about, which made for good distractions during our four hour rotational “watch” shifts that ensued throughout all hours of the days and nights.

On day three, roughly 3,000 nautical miles from the center of the south pacific sub tropical accumulation zone (gyre), we trawled the ocean surface, up to one and half meters, for seven hours with the high speed trawl sailing at an average of seven knots. Three hundred nautical miles from any land mass and thousands of miles from the gyre, we were shocked at how much plastic was caught in the trawl. Among the halibates (little black water bugs), the mictophid (the small fish seen in the photo), and gastropods (purple pearl-like invertebrates), we found five small pieces of plastic fishing line, a plastic needle and a dozen white, green and blue plastic fragments. That same day, I also spotted a floating single use plastic water bottle, which, surrounded by vibrant blue ocean for as far as I could see in any direction, besides our tiny boat, was a rather awkward, disheartening sight.

While in Raratonga we will be diving, surveying local reef systems, photographing, recording and interviewing many local agencies, the recycling facilities, waste haulers, fishermen, pig farmers and more! We spent the morning yesterday listing interview questions and creating a timeline and agenda for the short documentary that will be produced from our experiences. Stay tuned for updates later this week on what we find!

In August 2010, Gregg Treinish (who founded Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation) and Deia Schlosberg finished a roughly 520-mile trek on foot that took them between two major wildlife habitats in the Northern Rockies. Their mission: to trace the steps of wildlife and gain and understanding of their point of view; and to gather data about the choices migrating animals are forced to make in order to present this information to conservation agencies for the purpose of protecting the future generations of diverse wildlife. If this run-down sounds vaguely familiar, that’s because Gregg and Deia wrote about their expedition for Wend just two issues back, in the feature titled Connecting the Gems (read it here). Whether you read the story and need a refresher or haven’t because you’ve yet to subscribe to Wend digitally (for free) or in print, here’s the background scoop, from Gregg and Deia themselves:

Two of the most intact and important ecosystems in the world’s temperate zone are found in the Northern Rockies of the United States. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho are large, wild landscapes that support rich and abundant wildlife populations. Today, these two areas are essentially ecological islands of protected habitats.

When populations of animals exist in isolation, they are left without the ability to maintain genetic diversity. Simply put, when wildlife can no longer migrate or disperse to new habitats, the long-term health of the population is in jeopardy. It is therefore essential that we maintain clear migration and dispersal routes between protected ecosystems. By connecting the gems that are these ecosystems, we can better ensure healthy populations of grizzly bears, wolverines, moose, mountain lion, and so many other species.

Now that their journey is complete, Gregg and Deia are in the midst of creating a film (see the trailer at the top of this post) that documents their steps, research and data collected along the way. The film, entertaining as it’s likely to be, will further serve as an outreach tool to present for the purpose of furthering their conservation efforts. 

This is where you come in. Help Connecting the Gems reach their goal on Kickstarter.com by backing their project with a pledge, big or small. Go here to read more about Gregg, Deia and their project, and donate as little or as much as you can. You have 22 days left to help Connecting the Gems reach its goal of $5,000, which will go toward post production of the film and provide entrance fees for film festivals. Donations will be accepted through Wednesday, June 8th at 2:22 a.m. EDT.

Donate here.

Earth Day is fast approaching. And though it isn’t quite April 22nd yet, there’s no harm in celebrating the planet early, so we’re here to show you a trailer for an incredibly powerful, melancholic documentary film, The Last Continent.

The Last Continent documents a group of scientists for 430 days as they risk their own safety and sanity to explore and examine Earth’s Antarctic continent, searching for answers to the question of what global climate change is doing to this expansive part of the planet.

Directed by filmmaker and biologist Jean Lemire and narrated by Donald Sutherland, The Last Contintent is as much an homage to earth as it is a testament to human willpower.

You can purchase The Last Continent here.

From Cyclingsilk.com:

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth more than two thousand miles. We’re super stoked to share this 4-minute movie, a sneak preview of our adventures so far exploring conservation across borders along the Silk Road – by bike. This trailer features Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, our first three countries out of ten total on this year-long journey to India, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Nepal, and India. Eventually this will turn into a full-length documentary about how borders make and break the world, a film marrying adventure with environmental advocacy to encourage people to think beyond borders.

If Cycling Silk sounds familiar, it may be because in the summer of 2009, Kate Harris wrote about her first experience cycling the Silk Road in northwestern China for 123 days (also with her teammate, Melissa Yule) for Wend. Back then, the purpose of the trip was “Chasing the ghost of Marco Polo on two wheels.” You can read her cover story, ‘Cycling the Silk Road’ here, digitally, for free.

But this journey, shown in the trailer above, is different. It began in January of this year in Istanbul, Turkey and in about a year, it will finish in Leh, India. As stated on the Cycling Silk website, “So it’s back to the Silk Road by bike, only this time the expedition isn’t for the sake of sheer adventure (though we anticipate plenty along the way).”

This time around, Harris and Yule have a distinct mission: “To investigate with borderless minds and hearts the pros and cons, successes and shortcomings, complexities and challenges of transboundary wilderness conservation in the mountains and deserts of the Silk Road,” as well as: “To explore the actual and potential impact of transboundary protected areas (TBPAs) on landscapes, communities, and the geopolitics of regional peace.”

The trailer above is just a small bit of what’s to come from the ladies behind Cycling Silk, so watch it–and check here for more visual and written stories to come.

On April 3rd, the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) announced that it had reached the end of its funding and, therefore, would be closing for the duration of the season. The UAC, founded in 1980, provides avalanche forecasts and gives daily danger ratings for Utah backcountry areas. Unfortunately, the UAC’s statement of closure came well before the season’s end–heavy, albeit late season, snowpack is still out there–and threatened to put backcountry skiers and snowboarders in Utah at risk for injury, or worse. That’s when (and why) the Utah-based outdoor retailer Backcountry.com stepped in.

“There’s too much snow in the Wasatch and there are too many people still in the backcountry. We need the UAC,” said Dustin Roberston, Chief Marketing Officer at Backcountry.com. On April 11th, Backcountry.com donated $6,300 to the non-profit Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center (FUAC) in order to keep the UAC at work through April 24th.

The UAC was initially forced to announce its closure earlier than ever before, but the Backcountry.com donation has enabled the Center to provide its avalanche forecasting for longer than it has been able to in recent years.

Typically, the UAC is funded by U.S. Forest Service, FUAC, the Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, the Utah Department of Public Safety and Salt Lake County. This year’s funds ran short due to a few factors, including heavy early season snowfall and decreases in some sources of funding.

“For Backcountry.com to step-up like this is truly amazing and we couldn’t have done it without them. They have been one of our biggest supporters for years and are a key part of the backcountry community,” said FUAC Executive Director Paul Diegel. “We are headed into a big storm cycle, we’re still dealing with a complicated snowpack, and this is going to be a huge benefit for the backcountry user community. It’s still full-on winter here.”

[Photo Via: jfVelez]

If there’s anything we humans are good at, it is building. Skyscrapers mark our urban environments and rows of cookie-cutter houses line the suburban landscape. We have constructed communities in cities and towns. We have traversed the world via manmade vehicles specializing in air, land and even sea.

But perhaps our most infamous construction project lies in the garbage dump. As we continue to use more and more and throw away more and more, we are creating more and more landscapes composed entirely of trash.

We dig out craters to pile our waste into, letting them grow into mountains as we overfill them. We fill our oceans. We have more garbage than we know what to do with.

The only real way to combat our growing garbage crisis is to use less and toss less. And until that happens, we must be prepared to deal with the consequences of our actions. So I invite you to consider the gravity of our garbage while you take a visual journey of Garbage Dumps, ‘Round the World.

If you like our ‘Round the World series, you might enjoy some of the previous themes: running, spring, barns, wine, lightning, unicycles, rainy days, trails, canoeing, bridges, markets, skiing, toasts, santa, trees, ice, rainy snowy rides, caterpillars, turkeys, fog, autumn, costumes, coffee, waterfalls, mushrooms, lighthouses, snowboarding, rest, yoga, treehouses, campsites, barbecues, scuba diving,sailing, slacklining, spelunking, trekking, water skiing, mountain biking, sand, gliding, kayaking, climbing, buses, skateboarding, surfin’, doorways, hats, boating, gas stations, bicycles, windows, truckin’, glasses, mohawks, beer, authorities, fanny packs, Jesus, swimming, sweaters, mustaches, stairs, chess, foods, silhouettes, donkeys, outhouses and cemeteries.

Click on the thumbnails to view the images. If you’d like to see more work by any of the photographers featured here then follow the link that appears below each photo.

Enjoy.

National Geographic Young Explorers Dashiell Masland and Trevor Frost are contending to save the world, at least a small piece of it. Hoping to continue work in progress both are angling to raise awareness for the preservation of wild animal species in remote corners of the planet. Going head-to-head in a competition for funding to support their respective conservation projects, the two want your vote in the Expedition Granted contest.

As part of Expedition Week that starts April 3rd on the National Geographic Channel, viewers are invited to register online and cast their ballots for the explorer they like best. With the added incentive of winning a free trip to the Galapagos Islands for themselves, voters have the chance to provide Trevor or Dash with an expedition grant worth $10,000.

“Expedition Week is the perfect example of how National Geographic Channel supports the mission of National Geographic Society,” said Dawn Rodney, SVP, Marketing & Creative, National Geographic Networks. “It gives young explorers the chance to realize their passions and make a difference in the conservation of wildlife.”

Both contestants have already received Nat Geo expedition grants in support of their work. Dash, 27, is a marine biologist who specializes in aquatic mammals. The Young Explorers grant afforded her the opportunity to study a species called the Grey Seal near her home in Maine.

“It allowed me to do my master’s research,” Dash said. “And I got a first-author scientific publication out of it, which is huge for a young scientist’s career.”

With an equally ambitious mission, Trevor, 25, used his grant to study a series of caves in the Congo rainforest.

“We ended up discovering the longest cave in Gabon,” he said. “That one grant from the Young Explorer’s program is certainly responsible for a lot of the success I have today.”

Now that their lives as professional explorers are underway, Trevor and Dash hope to make new discoveries on their next expedition. Should either of them win the Expedition Granted contest both aim to apply new research they’ll conduct toward the preservation of wildlife in the regions they love most. Trevor is making plans to end animal poaching in the national parks of Sumatra, while Dash means to protect the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal. With an eye toward blending exploration with hard science to bring back compelling stories, Trevor said the contest fulfills a longstanding tradition.

“That’s why National Geographic has been so effective over the at last 100 years of its history,” he said. “They’ve brought back evocative images and video. These materials coupled with scientific data are what sway the hearts and minds of people who can make a difference in conservation.”

Educating the general public is critical to the preservation of endangered species. Dash said her research could help make the case for a strategy that may allow the Monk Seal to rebound.

“We have to understand the ecology of these animal completely in order to make any management decisions that can help save them,” she said.

Funding from the Expedition Granted contest will help put Dash and Trevor on location to do their research. Trevor will spend time with Sumatran park rangers to discover what is currently working in their conservation efforts and what resources they still need. Dash will collect biological samples to determine some the dietary challenges that young Monk Seal pups face that allow only one in five to reach maturity.

With very different projects both candidates have a solid plan for how they aim to proceed. But it’s up to contest voters to weigh in and support the research they feel will have the biggest impact. The runner up will receive a smaller $2,500 grant. But win or lose, Dash and Trevor are committed to continuing their work. The winner will be announced on April 7th.

The Joy Trip Project is made possible thanks to the support of sponsor Patagonia

There are plenty of people out there talking about climate change. But how many are actually doing something about it? Even those of us who spend a lot of time outdoors can be guilty of contributing to the destruction of the natural environment we love. We fly in jets from place to place for the sake of adventure. And many of us are still driving low gas mileage, carbon emitting SUVs. Our active lifestyles can really hurt the planet. So that’s why we can all take a few lessons from professional skier and environmental advocate Alison Gannett.

“I went to school for climate change and majored in education for environmental issues. And then I went to school for solar design for alternative home building,” she said. “At the same time, I had a professional skiing career, doing crazy things like the X-Games and jumping off cliffs for a living.” While she had two careers running parallel to one another, Gannett suffered a devastating crash at the X-Games and because she was badly injured and unable to compete, several of her sponsors immediately dropped her. That got Gannett to thinking.

“I realized how shallow a lot of my ski industry sponsors were,”  she said. “I decided, wouldn’t it be cool to partner with companies that have more at stake and care more about than just selling clothing?” Though many of the competitors and colleagues thought she was crazy for chasing the more lucrative sponsorship deals, Gannett changed her professional priorities to work instead with companies who share her environmentally conscious values. “I want to chase ethics,” she said. “I want to work with companies that have the same beliefs that I do.”

It turns out that there are plenty of sponsors out there willing to support Gannett’s mission to raise awareness for the ongoing crisis of climate change. Blending her interests in sustainable living and an active lifestyle, she’s proven to be a very effective spokesperson for both. “As an athlete getting older, I’d have to say that I have better sponsor relationships now than I ever did,”    she said. “And now working with the Save Our Snow Foundation and working with schools, working with Congress, working with the White House I’m saving our snow, saving our planet and making the world a better place.”

Allison Gannett is the kind of adventure athlete that walks her talk. While still leading an exciting life as a professional skier, she’s making a big difference in educating the general public on the realities of climate change. And through her work at the Save Our Snow Foundation and on her own organic farm in Colorado, she’s showing us what we each can to do to slow it down.

Music this week by Jake Shimabukuro

The Joy Trip Project is made possible with the support of sponsor Patagonia

Special thanks to The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market

Is this the future of our Oceans’ bounty?

Annually, billions of bags, bottles and short-term plastic containers end up not only in landfills, but also in our oceans, where they remain seemingly forever. Plastic pollution has become an endemic part of the marine ecosystem, threatening the health and well being of wildlife and our lives, as we know it.

But unlike marine life, we can do something about it. We can begin to fix our problem through awareness. That’s what inspired 5 Gyres to begin its mission to end plastics pollution–through research of ocean plastic, communication about its impacts and development of strategies for eliminating its presence.

And now, 5 Gyres has partnered with Chaco to bring you along for the ride of a lifetime through the Chaco ‘Waves for Change’ art contest.

“Waves for Change” is calling for all talents of video, fine art, photography, handcraft and sculpture to demonstrate our world’s addiction to single-use plastic. From today, January 3rd, through March 13th, just submit a digital file of your plastic-inspired artwork here and each week, a winning plastic-purposed artistic contribution will be chosen. You can submit a new contribution each week–as long as it differs from prior submissions.

Each week’s winner will receive $95 Chaco gift card, a two-year subscription to Wend magazine and a Klean Kanteen water bottle AND will be entered to win the grand prize of joining one of the final 5 Gyres discovery voyages: 10 days sailing from Tahiti to the Cook Islands.

The grand prize winner will be chosen from the ten weekly winners of the contest’s duration. From March 14th through March 28th, voters will be able to choose and vote for their favorite artistic depiction–the grand prize winner will be announced on the last day of the contest.

Spots on these historic voyages are coveted worldwide by the media, science experts and international government officials. YOU have a chance to join them and witness what’s out there in the great south pacific: marine life, pollution and all. This is not a trip you can buy–all members of 5 Gyres voyages attend by invitation only.

Submissions are open to legal residents of the continental United States and must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Every year, National Geographic rounds up a small group of adventurers worthy of a spot on the nominee list for its annual Adventurer of the Year award. To be a nominee in the first place, one must have undergone an extraordinary feat in “exploration, conservation and adventure sports.” And this year’s nominees include women and men who have climbed, rowed, sailed and trekked around the world, surviving lost appendages, breaking records and braving the elements for the sake of adventure and a cause.

The best part is, it’s you–the people–who vote for the Adventurer of the Year, so take a minute to pick your choice and vote here.

There are 10 Adventurer of the Year nominees, and you can learn more about each of them through their in-depth profiles. Then, simply cast your vote by January 15, 2011. The Adventurer of the Year will be announced in February of 2011!

Photo by Rachel Meyer

Filmmakers, fashionistas and philanthropists pulled it together in Portland to benefit elephants in danger of extinction due to the illegal ivory trade. The Go Wild Night of Fashion event raised money and awareness for a media and research partnership that aims to document the DNA of pachyderms picked off by poachers.

“To make people care, you’ve got to give them a way to engage on a local level and this fashion show accomplished just that—local designers, models and members of the community came out in full force to support this project,” said Emily Nuchols of Under Solen Media. “It makes you realize that this isn’t just about saving elephants, this is about building a dynamic, conscious and empowered community. We like to think that we’re doing our part to save the world—one party at a time.”

Despite a worldwide ban on ivory, elephants in remote areas of Africa continue to be hunted for their tusks. An initiative supported by National Geographic and the International League of Conservation Photographers, the Elephant Ivory Project is a small group of adventure media experts who are working to map those areas where the animals are being taken. Scientists on the team collect genetic samples to match with pilfered ivory recovered from captured thieves. The goal of the project is to bring back compelling images and stories to illustrate this tragic struggle. “It’s shocking to realize that on average 105 elephants are killed by poachers every single day, but it’s not hopeless,” said Andy Maser of Epicocity Films. “Twenty years ago, with a global upwelling of support, the ivory trade was stopped— nearly overnight. We can do that again. And this event brought us one step closer to doing so.” The fashion show itself brought out models, make-up artists and clothing stylists to celebrate their craft and contribute to the continuing efforts to save wild elephants.

“Conservation and spreading awareness for the well-being of our planet and the lives on it comes in all forms,” said Jillian Rabe, Fashion Show Producer. She said it was “a privilege to be able to join forces with this team and create an avenue for the fashion community to help support the cause.”

Despite the holiday rush, a Park City company put in a little creative effort to raise support for the arts in Utah. Waterbox, makers of personal stainless steel water bottles, made a custom contribution to the “Chairity Lift” project to benefit the Kimball Art Center. In a fashion as unique as the products they design, the folks at Waterbox decorated a decommissioned ski chairlift along with 40 other artists to boost both the Center and a charity of their choice.
“Our creative director is a huge avian enthusiast,” said Waterbox founder Canice Harte, “So the charity she chose is a bird refuge out in the Bay Area.”

Called the Eyrie Perch, the Waterbox chairlift, designed by Anjel Van Slyke, is crafted to resemble a giant seat for a bird. Above a polished wooden crossbar, suspended from the top of the chairlift are hundreds of colorful hand-folded origami cranes seeming to take flight. With an initial asking price of $4,500 for bid on eBay, 25 percent of the proceeds are destined for donation to the Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue in San Jose, California. The Eyrie Perch, along with many other pieces sponsored by corporations and individual artists, will be available for purchase in a live auction at the Canyons Resort on December 17th.

“It’s a really cool event and we’re just psyched to be a part of it,” said Harte. “We were invited as a local business and compared to some of the other artists ours is pretty simple. But we’re happy to have this as our community project.”

Waterbox typically gets involved in art related programs. In addition to designing products that incorporate the original work of graphic designers, the Park City company also supports community initiatives for children. By providing blank water bottles to the Salt Lake Art Center Youth Program, Waterbox hopes to encourage kids to ply their own talents to the creation of reusable drinking vessels while learning the importance of clean, safe water.

Ready to get wild this holiday season? Well, look no further. Break out your uber-hawt jungle safari costumes and throw down for a night of fashion and celebration to save elephants.

Portland’s fashion elite have joined forces with the conservation community to throw a wild couture fashion show featuring local, eco designers in an effort to save wild African elephants from the illegal ivory trade. So, paint yourself up like a zebra, grab some cash money for a hot limited-edition Looptworks elephant t-shirt and make your way to Boothster on 521 NE Davis for the party of the season.

Who: Elephant Ivory Project — fueled by EP Films (http://epfilms.tv/)

What: Go Wild! A Night of Fashion and Celebration to Save Elephants! Here’s the gist: Elephants are being killed by poachers at a rate of 10 percent per year. That means that in just a few years wild elephant populations may not exist anymore. So, in January, EP Films is embarking on a forensic biology expedition to the remote jungle of the Democratic Republic of Congo with the goal of saving wild elephants from the illegal ivory trade. You can learn more here. And do your part — come to the party!

$10 gets you a cup and beer for the night, $5 glasses of wine

$15 gets you a sweet limited-edition Looptworks elephant t-shirt

$5 gets you 3 raffle tix for great prizes from Sierra Designs, SPOT Messenger, NAU and more!

Photo booth — strike a pose and get wild for photos by RM Photo! All images will be uploaded to Flickr and Facebook the next day for free download.

Costume contest! That’s right, we know you like to dress up. So find your inner animal and do it up right. Best contest gets a fabulous prize!

When: December 10 – Doors – 8pm, Fashion Show – 930pm, Party – All the time!

Where: Boothster – 521 NE Davis in PDX

Why: Hawt fashion, drinks, dance party, safari costumes, photo booth… All in the name of a good cause. Need we say more?

Just a little snowy-land inspiration from our friends at Sweetgrass and Patagonia. Thank you both for producing such beautiful and soulful films.

Tonight marks the premiere of National Geographic’s epic seven-part mini series, Great Migrations, which documents several epic journeys that species around the world take. With an undeniable Planet Earth feel, National Geographic’s new series will showcase some seriously beautiful imagery and, of course, reveal some pertinent scientific discoveries.

The Great Migrations team traveled to all seven continents, covered 420,000 miles and spanned this over two and a half years to get all the footage they needed. And then, they managed to get some more unprecedented filming done right in their own backyard. Check out the above video to see what we mean.

The show itself should be pretty cool, and the spoof gives us a bit of insight into the more playful side of Great Migrations, so… enjoy!

[Via: National Geographic Blog]

Photo of the Year 2009

For the past nine years, the Photo of the Year (POTY) contest has provided photographers of all abilities with a unique opportunity to submit and showcase their work. But POTY is more than just a fun contest, it’s also a charity event that raises money for the MESD Outdoor School, which has been teaching sixth graders about natural science for over 40 years.

It’s easy to submit. Click here to start. It costs $15 to enter, but that cost allows you to enter up to five images and goes directly to the MESD Outdoor School. Submissions are open through January 5th; judges will review all photographs on January 8th; the 2010 Photo of the Year will be chosen and revealed on January 22nd. And just in case you’re wondering, $500 is the grand Photo of the Year 2010 prize, so if you think a shot of yours has what it takes, you just might want to enter.

To give you some background, POTY began in 2002 by two friends who wanted a way to showcase their companions’ shots from travels and adventures around the world. The contest was a hit with their friends, and in the following couple of years turned out to be a greater success than expected. So, in 2004, after deciding to turn the POTY contest into a full-fledged fundraiser, its founders partnered with Outdoor School. POTY has since raised over $49 thousand for them.

Visit Photo of the Year’s Facebook page to see photos of the day and for contest updates.

The first episode of ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska’ aired on Sunday, November 14th on TLC, and in true Palin fashion, it’s already under scrutiny. According to Alaska Wildlife Alliance director John Toppenberg, in the premiere of the show, Palin not only breaks Alaska Department of Fish and Game Policy, she also sets a poor example for her viewers.

Specifically, Alaska policy states people in boats cannot fish within 30 feet of wild brown bears. In her series debut, Palin and her family seem to ignore the policy–creeping closer and closer to the bears as Palin says something along the lines of, Get the fish before the bears do!

There’s some discussion between Toppenberg and Joe Meehan, who works in the conservation division of Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game about whether or not Palin officially violated the 30 foot policy. But while Meehan is less sure than Toppenberg on the specifics, he argues that she does come far too close to the bears–and that this may send an inappropriate message to viewers who fish in bear territory. Both men ultimately argue that Palin’s behavior  is irresponsible because it shows inexperienced fishers the wrong message; that it’s OK to fish that close to bears.

[Via: Huffington Post]

As summer draws to a close and the charred yellow light of fall seeps into the world around us, our nation’s natural places seem to beckon our investigation even more. The beauty of the trees, plains, and mountains are highlighted as the season makes its change. So it’s lucky for us that the 17th annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is also upon us–this Saturday, September 25th–because on this day, entry into over 100 National Parks is free. Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Glacier, Saratoga, Valley Forge and Fort Sumter are just some of the National Parks that will be fee-free on Saturday. Check here to see entry-free parks near you.

Before you play, do your part–Volunteer!

If you enjoy your national public lands, you also might want to consider volunteering this weekend in order to do your part to keep them around for as long as possible. Over 1,000 volunteers will be working to improve and restore natural areas around the country, so join the forces, help out, and then go play! NPLD is the largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve public lands and you can easily get involved. Go here to find a location near where you live and to sign up. Volunteers will help build new trails and bridges, improve habitat for wildlife, plant trees and remove invasive species in areas surrounding lakes, rivers, forests, parks and local neighborhood areas.

National Public Lands Day elaborated:

NPLD celebrates our national public lands; the service that goes into them and the recreation that people can enjoy as a result of them. It also serves to educate volunteers about the effects of global climate change on our national natural treasures. Volunteers in all areas of the country can register to help out on NPLD–whether at a national landscape or a local park.

Celebrate NPLD by volunteering and then hiking, biking, going for a trail run, or by simply sitting under the September sun basking in the beauty of America’s national lands.

[Photo Via: Alaskan Dude]

Elephants are dying and nearing extinction in places such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

… You can read that and then go on checking the endless rounds of Facebook updates or your e-mail… OR you can help.

Donate to the Elephant Ivory Project (it’s tax-deductible), and 100 percent of your donations will go toward helping elephants stay alive. What’s more, the Elephant Ivory Project has found a donor who will match their total donation amount this Friday, September 17th, so donate now! Donating is easy–click on any of the above links that say donate or or simply click here.

Also, be sure to check out the upcoming issue of Wend to read Elephant Ivory Project team member Trip Jennings‘ feature in the Trailhead section.

Learn More about elephants in the Congo:

Elephants in the Democratic Republic of Congo are on their way to extinction. The elephant death rate by poaching between 2008 and 2009 reached 10 percent–a number well above the 7.1 percent that, in 1989, caused worldwide uproar and prompted the law against elephant poaching altogether. In the same way that serious, prompt action was taken nearly three decades ago, it’s time to do so again–in order to save the wild elephants before it’s too late.

About the Elephant Ivory Project:

[Photo Via: flickrfavorites]

Pythons such as these are native to parts of Asia, and certainly aren’t often found in Indiana, of all places. Josh Schoon, a conservation officer with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources suspects the snake was a pet that either escaped or was abandoned.

Schoon came to the scene at about 5:30 p.m., and after speaking with his sergeant, made the decision to put the snake down. Schoon says the snake posed a danger to small children, and explained that due to poor cell reception, he wasn’t sure how he’d have been able to bring out a rescue expert. “If it was a lot closer to town, and I had a lot more ways to contact people, it might have been within the question to try to get someone there to pick it up and not put it down, and hopefully get it a good home somewhere,” Schoon said. He shot the python three times in the head before it died.

Mark Denhardt, curator of the Tippecanoe County Exotic Animal Sanctuary agreed that the snake did pose a threat to nearby children, as pythons can be extremely aggressive and dangerous. However, he was disappointed that the snake was killed before he or anyone else was called to rescue it. “Every animal in the book is covered in this area, so there’s no excuse for something like this to happen,” he said.

After Schoon shot the snake, he told Neal he could keep it. Neal did just that–and is currently in the process of curing the python hide. He plans to hang it from his back porch some day, and says “It’ll always been a conversation piece,” adding, “I ain’t never seen anything that big in the wild before … it’s kinda cute, though.”

[Via: jconline]

[Photo Via: jconline]

Wait for the ending… wait for it!