Outdoor Minimalist

This episode is brought to you courtesy of Colin True from the Rock Fight and Gear & Beer podcasts.

We know the climate fight specifically just got a whole lot harder. Trump’s back in the White House, and with Republicans holding the Senate, we’re facing a serious uphill battle. 

We’re talking about a president who’s called climate change a "hoax," pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement, and rolled back major environmental protections like the Clean Air Act. 

He’s promised to open up more drilling, and he’s even said he’ll stop offshore wind energy projects on day one. Add to that his plan to gut the EPA and pull funding from clean energy programs... it's not looking good for the climate.

But here’s the thing—we can’t afford to tap out. 

So, take a breath. Remember your why. Get outside, take in some fresh air, and give yourself space to process.

Don’t forget to check in on your people. Some folks might be struggling more than others right now, and that’s where community comes in. We might not agree on everything, but we’re in this together.

And lastly, don’t disengage. The fight isn’t over—it’s just going to look a little different right now.

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Unfortunately, we use a lot of toxic materials in the outdoor industry and have for some time. 

This reliance on synthetic and sometimes harmful materials has seen some major shifts due to regulations, but there are always some brands at the forefront of big changes. 

One change we're seeing in the watersports industry is the phase-out or move away from using PVC. 

In episode 156 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we explore what PVC is, why it's been a popular choice for inflatable paddle boards, and the environmental concerns associated with its production and use. 

To help break down these talking points and share a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes for a brand to make these types of material changes, I sat down to chat with Jimmy Blakeney.

Jimmy has stayed true to his passion for board sports and paddle sports for his entire life, even when it meant living in a van down by the river and budgeting $10 a day for food just to spend more time on board and in boat. His stubbornness led to full time sponsored athlete status for 10 years and a US National Championship title, interspersed with gigs in every facet of the business side of things, from marketing and branding to product design, sales, logistics, customer service and more. He's currently President and product designer at ISLE, where he tries to balance his brain's inability to stop focusing on new product ideas and customers needs with running one of the industry's top brands. 

ISLE believes life is better in balance and that creating balance can be as simple as taking your first paddle strokes or catching your first wave. 

We started our climate month by asking listeners if they were voting for the climate this November. 

In what may be the most historic election in my lifetime, we need everyone to use their voice and get out to the polls. 

I saw a post on Instagram from Protect Our Winters, and the photos said, "Vote like your home mountain is on fire" – swipe a couple of times, "Vote like your backyard is underwater."

Their caption stated that 8 million environmental voters didn't show up in 2020, but if we are not standing up for the planet, who will? 

We need everyone to get to the polls this year more than ever. It is crunch time for the climate, so let's vote like it.

So, to close out our first climate month, we will bring things home and see how climate change impacts activities that we love. That's why I sat down with Rick Crawford this week to learn how climate change affects our favorite fishing spots and how anglers can advocate for cleaner waters and a more stable climate. 

Last week, I attended the Outdoor Media Summit in Missoula, MT, and here are some highlights!

😎 Meeting everyone that I've only ever talked to online

🎙️ Getting to speak on TWO panels related to the Forever Chemicals podcast

🎣 Hanging out with friends, old colleagues, and making new connections

💡 Learning from so many inspiring and innovative podcasters, journalists, editors, PR folks, brands, and storytellers

🏆 Winning Best Podcast Episode of 2023 and being included the 40 under 40

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