Alex and I both own tattered, dog-eared, overly annotated copies of Let My People Go Surfing. Yvon’s approach to building Patagonia over the years has been inspirational to us both, from his focus on the planet to his approach to people, teams, and culture. 

Earlier this year, our business became a member of 1% for the Planet. This was not a difficult decision for the team to make. Joining the organization, founded by Patagonia, means that we are committed to donating 1% of our annual revenue to initiatives that support and protect our home planet. 

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There are a number of reasons why this decision was an easy one to make. First and foremost, the majority of our clients simply would not exist if humans did not have access to healthy natural ecosystems to explore. Rivers, mountains, oceans, and forests are where many of our clients’ customers use their products. Clients in other industries, such as health & wellness, and financial inclusion are simply one degree further removed, but nonetheless reliant upon a healthy planet and thriving communities. 

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Yvon Chouinard has referred to participation in 1% For the Planet as “rent” for living on earth, and we tend to agree with him. With just 3% of total philanthropic giving going toward environmental initiatives, we feel that it’s our duty to commit a portion of our sales to this cause as our business continues to grow. 

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We have worked with a number of non-profit organizations in the space for years now, most notably Elevate Youth, and The American Museum of Fly Fishing. We wanted to use this announcement as an opportunity to create a list of other organizations in the space that we support and recommend looking into:

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Bonefish Tarpon Trust

Founded in 1997, the BTT has been driving fisheries science and conservation in habitats that support species of fish and experiences that are near and dear to our hearts as a team. The organization's triennial symposium is a good place to go if you’re looking to serendipitously run into one (or all) of our team members.

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Atlantic Salmon Federation

A fish as beguiling, graceful, and powerful as the Atlantic Salmon needs clean waterways to survive. The ASF has been protecting this beautiful fish and its native habitat since 1948.

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Surfrider Foundation

While our founding team is admittedly no good at surfing, we do enjoy it. Many of our team members, from media buying to design, are passionate about the sport. There are few experiences that foster a stronger feeling of connectivity to the planet than an onda linda ;). 

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Protect Our Winters

We are mountain people, we want our children to be mountain people, and we want our children’s children to be mountain people. The future of a sport that has turned humans into lovers our mother earth for centuries lies in the balance of climate change. There are few impetuses stronger than a connection to the planet and a love for skiing and riding in deep untouched snow, exploring the mountains, and ski culture to turn a person into an environmentalist. 

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If you're a business owner, a CEO, or a board member, we strongly encourage you to look into joining us as 1% for the planet members.