Is the Outra Industry a Scam?

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You've written about how outdoor hubs, cities like estas park, colorado, bend, oregon and jackson, holl wyoming, are overwhelmingly white. And yet the workers who keep those towns running are often people of color Who may not be able to afford the kind of gear that you need to go skiing,. even though the mountains are right in their back ard. You're touching on just another aspect of the sort of white supremacy, the privilege, really, of not having to worry in the same way about some of these things. That is like the experience, the lived experience, of people of color.

Rick Ridgeway estimates he’s spent about five years of his life sleeping in tents, often in the world’s most remote places alongside fellow outdoor adventure luminaries. Ridgeway worked for Patagonia for 15 years and was behind the company’s infamous “Don’t Buy This Jacket” ad campaign, which paradoxically advocated sustainability and increased sales.

Outdoor companies like Patagonia may push for sustainability, but they largely still present a mostly white, wealthy experience with nature, which can be off-putting for people of color. “You know if you can't see yourself in those spaces then it’s hard to feel invited or welcome in that movement,” says writer and social justice facilitator Amanda Machado.

What is the role of corporations in conservation? And how can the outdoor industry help make nature more safe, accessible and welcoming for all?

For transcripts and other information, visit: https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts

Guests:

Rick Ridgeway, former Vice President of Public Engagement, Patagonia

Amanda Machado, writer and social justice facilitator

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