environmental initiatives 2009
by the numbers
quantifying some of patagonia’s environmental initiatives
Dollars in grants and in-kind donations given by Patagonia to environmental causes since 1985: 34 million Dollars in grants and in-kind donations given by Patagonia this fiscal year: 3,816,750 Number of environmental groups that received a grant this year from Patagonia: 398 Dollar amount (retail) of clothing Patagonia donated to nonprofit groups this year: 357,000 Dollars donated to nonprofits this year through our Employee Charity Match program: 200,000 Number of Patagonia products we’ve measured for their environmental impacts through The Footprint Chronicles™: 17 Percentage of Fall 2009 Patagonia products that can be recycled through our Common Threads Recycling Program: 65 Percentage of Fall 2009 Patagonia apparel that can be recycled through our Common Threads Recycling Program: 80 Tons of clothing recycled since the start of Common Threads in 2005: 6 Tons of clothing collected for recycling since the start of Common Threads: 12 Tons of kitchen waste from our Ventura cafeteria we’ve composted in our on-site bin: 2 Pounds of cardboard we recycled this year at our Reno distribution center: 456,000 Percentage of solid waste by total volume recycled at the Reno distribution center: 95.63 Dollars raised for The Friends of the Santa Clara River at the Patagonia-sponsored Salmon Run: 11,400 Number of our employees who have volunteered through Patagonia’s environmental internship program since its inception in 1992: 750 Number of activists who’ve received training at Patagonia’s Tools for Grassroots Activists Conference: 953 Number of companies that now belong to 1% For The Planet® : 1,143 Miles ridden to work by Patagonia employees during 2008 Bike to Work Week: 14,280 Visitors to Patagonia’s Vote the Environment booth during Jack Johnson’s “All at Once” tour in summer 2008: 4,692 Acknowledgment to Harpers magazine for the index idea: 1
Dam-Buster salmon at Capitol hill lobbying for the removal of dams on the lower Snake River. SAve ouR WilD SAlMoN
Table of Contents •
By the Numbers
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Funding the Frontlines
5
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Environmental Flying Services
6
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Biodiversity
6
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In-Kind Services
9
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Sharpening Skills
11
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Wild & Scenic Film Festival
13
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1% for the Planet
14
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Freedom to Roam
17
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SE Alaska Conservation Council
18
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Forests
18
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Employee Charity Match Program
19
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Voice Your Choice
20
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PAN Europe
22
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Sustainable Agriculture
22
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Yamba for Tomorrow Society
24
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Water/Marine
24
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Clothing Donations
29
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Freedom to Roam Goes to Congress
30
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Cleaner Clothes
33
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Office for Resource Efficiency
34
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Alternative Energy
34
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Promoting Better Stewardship
37
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Sand Mountain Concerned Citizens
38
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Social Activism
38
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Common Threads Recycling Program 39
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The Footprint Chronicles
41
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Dogwood Initiative
42
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Resource Extraction
42
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Environmental Grants Council
43
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Fairer Labor Practices
45
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Time and Muscle
47
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Ohio Citizen Action
48
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Toxics/Nuclear
48
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Patagonia Cardiff
49
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Join the Fight
50
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The Conservation Alliance
52
2
funding the frontlines
environmental grants program
Every year, we contribute at least 1% of our sales to nonprofits working on the frontlines of the environmental crisis. Our tradition of giving goes back to 1973, when a young activist knocked on our door with a plan to restore the Ventura River. A lot has changed since we gave that first grant – but our commitment to protecting and restoring wild places remains constant and unwavering. In a year with sweeping political changes and the worst economy since the Great Depression, that commitment keeps the entire company focused on our mission. It’s a compass that guides us through challenging times. The current political climate holds both hope and uncertainty for those who care about the environment. Will the recent presidential election and the shift in national politics mean a similar shift toward greater environmental protection? How can we catch up after eight long years of backward-facing policy? We all feel the potential for change, with new leadership and a national tone of service and responsibility. But a question remains: will the economic crisis squeeze environmental concerns to the sidelines? A January 2009 Pew Charitable Trust poll asked Americans to rate 20 issues in order of importance. Compared to 2008, the environment fell in importance more than any other issue: down 15 percentage points, ranking 16th overall. Global warming ranks last, while the economy, jobs and terrorism were 1, 2, and 3 respectively. With attention focused on the economy and two wars, keeping the environment front and center is a challenge.
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The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council works to safeguard Southeast Alaska’s natural environment, including Fish Creek in the Tongass National Forest. Amy Gulick/amygulick.com
All the more reason to stay focused on supporting grassroots environmental groups. They give us hope, and we know that sustained direct action yields results. We’ve seen our grantees weather political challenges, and even in the face of great opposition, they continue fighting to protect endangered species and the last old-growth forests, advocating for clean air, water and food, and battling efforts to lease our public lands for more oil and gas exploration. This is why we renew our commitment, year after year. Our total environmental giving since 1973, in grants and in-kind donations, amounts to over $34 million. And the mission is company-wide. Individuals elected to councils in Reno and Ventura decide who we support. Every one of our retail stores and sales representatives has a budget from which they fund local initiatives. Our operations in Japan, Europe and Chile, contribute to critical environmental causes in their regions. This year, our environmental giving totaled $3,816,750.* In this report, we list every group that received a grant, and we highlight some of the top success stories. It’s an exciting time for the environmental movement, with great potential and great uncertainty. Moving forward, we take pride in our role, supporting the work that’s making a real difference. *The information contained in this booklet representing Patagonia’s environmental giving in fiscal year 2009 was current at the time of production. Grants made during the latter part of the fiscal year may not be included in its pages.
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biodiversity
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - Manitoba Chapter Winnipeg, MB Canada www.cpawsmb.org
A growing number of scientists and activists are convinced that the way to protect our environment is through the preservation of entire ecosystems. While many groups we support
CPAWS is working to preserve Canada’s natural landscapes by helping to establish new parks and protected areas, increasing public awareness and making sure nature comes first in the management of parks and wilderness.
Chattooga Conservancy
Conservation Northwest
Clayton, GA www.chattoogariver.org
Bellingham, WA www.conservationnw.org
Chattooga Conservancy works to protect, promote and restore the ecological integrity of the Chattooga River watershed ecosystems to ensure the viability of native species and empower communities to practice good stewardship on public and private lands.
CNW works to protect and connect old-growth forests and other wild areas from the Washington coast to the BC Rockies, working with communities to find conservation solutions grounded in science to benefit both wildlife and people.
are working on distinct pieces of the environmental puzzle, the groups listed in this section are working to fit those pieces together to protect large landscapes of vibrant biodiversity.
Center for Biodiversity Research
Total given in this category in fiscal year 2009: $714,618.
San Francisco, CA www.calacademy.org CBR works to increase the societal relevance of the biological specimen collections held in natural history museums with an emphasis on conserving biodiversity.
Spotlight * Environmental Flying Services “The work begins when the wheels leave the ground.” – Sandy Lanham, founder and sole pilot of Environmental Flying Services Deserts, oceans and mountains often require an airplane for gathering scientific information. Yet for researchers in Mexico, renting an airplane is out of the question. A Cessna there costs $350 per hour of flight – three times its cost in the United States. Environmental Flying Services (EFS) is a one-person, nonprofit organization that works across the border with Mexico to protect wildlife and save land. Based in Tucson, Arizona, EFS gives under-funded Mexican biologists and wildlife researchers – and their colleagues from the United States - the means to gather solid scientific data, the first step in the design of protection plans. EFS provides these researchers with a natural resource pilot and a Cessna 182, a workhorse equipped with the instrumentation and specialized capabilities they need. It works with over 40 agencies, institutions and nonprofit organizations. Each year the list grows. A Mexican researcher said it best: “We fly with EFS or we don’t fly at all.” Since its founding in 1991, EFS has flown 7,500 hours. That’s more than two-and-a half million dollars worth of research flights. Some who flew gathered the information to establish protected places. Some monitored endangered species recovery. Others gathered the critical information that perhaps one day will save a species or even a sea. eflying.org
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(left) Big Horn Mountains Wilderness, Arizona. Mark Miller (right) Endangered pronghorn huddle near the New Mexico/Chihuahua border. Eduardo Ponce
Alberta Wilderness Association
Arizona Wilderness Coalition
Calgary, AB Canada www.AlbertaWilderness.ca
Tucson, AZ www.azwild.org
The Alberta Wilderness Association is dedicated to the completion of a protected areas network and the conservation of wilderness throughout the province.
AWC works to permanently protect and restore wilderness and other wild lands and waters in Arizona for the enjoyment of all citizens, and to ensure that Arizona’s native plants and animals have a lasting home in the wild.
American Wildlands Bozeman, MT www.wildlands.org American Wildlands is committed to keeping the world-renowned U.S. Northern Rockies ecologically intact by restoring and maintaining connections between key habitats for healthy populations of native wildlife.
Andean Cat Alliance Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires C.P. Argentina www.gatoandino.org ACA contributes to the understanding and conservation of the Andean cat and its habitat by implementing innovative research strategies and encouraging community participation and support for the management of its range.
Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Baton Rouge, LA www.basinkeeper.org Atchafalaya Basinkeeper strives to keep Louisiana’s swamps alive and thriving for generations to come.
California Wilderness Coalition Oakland, CA www.calwild.org CWC works to protect and restore the landscapes that make California unique, providing clean air and water, a home to wildlife and a place for recreation and spiritual renewal.
Center for Biological Diversity Tucson, AZ www.biologicaldiversity.org CBR works to secure a future for all species, great and small, especially those hovering on the brink of extinction, through science, law and creative media.
Center for Native Ecosystems Denver, CO www.nativeecosystems.org Valuing the clean water and air, healthy communities, sources of food and medicine, and recreational opportunities provided by native biodiversity, the Center for Native Ecosystems is dedicated to conserving and recovering the native species and ecosystems of its region.
Craighead Environmental Research Institute Bozeman, MT www.craigheadresearch.org CERI’s network of biologists works to maintain healthy populations of native plants and animals in sustainable, functioning ecosystems by developing reliable information through innovative research and conservation planning.
Conservation Trust for North Carolina
Defenders of Wildlife
Raleigh, NC www.ctnc.org
Bozeman, MT www.defenders.org
Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection seeks long-term conservation of biological diversity and ecological function of the Sonoran Desert through comprehensive land-use planning.
Conservation Trust for North Carolina works to protect the state’s land and water through statewide conservation and cooperative work with land trusts to preserve natural resources as a legacy for future generations.
DOW works to protect native animals and plants in their natural communities.
Colorado Environmental Coalition
Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ
Denver, CO www.ourcolorado.org
Trenton, NJ www.conservewildlifenj.org
CEC protects Colorado’s environment by educating and mobilizing citizens, providing assistance to environmental organizations, and uniting and supporting them in coalitions that defend and preserve the state’s natural heritage.
Conserve Wildlife Foundation seeks to protect and conserve rare and imperiled species that live, breed and migrate in New Jersey, through research, managing species, restoring habitat, engaging citizens and education.
Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection Tucson, AZ www.sonorandesert.org
Endangered Species Coalition Washington, DC www.stopextinction.org The Endangered Species Coalition is a national network of conservation, scientific, religious, sporting, outdoor recreation, business and community organizations working to protect our nation’s wildlife and remaining wild places.
Environmental Defense Center Santa Barbara, CA www.edcnet.org
Colorado Fourteeners Initiative
CORA Faune Sauvage
Golden, CO www.14ers.org
Lyon, Rhone Alpes, France http://coraregion.free.fr
CFI exists to protect and preserve the natural integrity of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks by cultivating partnerships among concerned individuals and public agencies in support of conservation and restoration efforts.
CORA Faune Sauvage studies and protects wild animals and their habitat in the Rhone-Alpes.
The Environmental Defense Center uses education, advocacy and legal action to protect water quality, preserve open space, save species from extinction and guard public health on California’s south and central coast.
Crag Law Center
Environmental Flying Services
Portland, OR www.crag.org
Tucson, AZ www.eflying.org
Crag is a client-focused law center that supports community efforts to protect and sustain the Pacific Northwest’s natural legacy by providing legal services for free, or as close to free, as possible.
EFS exists to provide an essential tool to researchers and advocates working in Mexico to save wildlife and protect the earth.
Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center
Colorado Mountain Club
Twain Harte, CA www.cserc.org
Carbondale, CO www.cmc.org
CSERC works on the frontlines of pivotal struggles to defend water, wildlife and wild places across 2-million acres of the northern Yosemite region.
The Colorado Mountain Club is the oldest outdoor education, recreation and conservation organization in Colorado, working to protect important public lands throughout the state.
Biodiversity
7
Great River Greening
Flagstaff, AZ www.grandcanyonwildlands.org
St. Paul, MN www.greatrivergreening.org
FOSPW is working to secure permanent wilderness protection for the 88,000-acre Scotchman Peaks roadless area, thereby preserving one of the last and largest wild areas in its region.
Grand Canyon Wildlands Council seeks to create and apply a dynamic conservation area network that ensures the existence, health and sustainability of all native species and natural ecosystems in the Grand Canyon ecoregion.
GRG promotes the preservation and restoration of natural areas and open spaces in the Midwest by inspiring people to love the land.
Friends of the Cedar River Watershed
Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project
Atlanta, GA www.green-law.org
Seattle, WA www.cedarriver.org
Flagstaff, AZ www.gcwolfrecovery.org
Friends of the Cedar River Watershed works to conserve and protect a healthy watershed through restoration, education and stewardship.
Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project is dedicated to bringing back wolves and restoring ecological health to the Grand Canyon region.
Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness
Garberville, CA www.wildcalifornia.org
Sandpoint, ID www.scotchmanpeaks.org
EPIC is a community-based organization working to protect and restore forests, watersheds, coastal estuaries, and native species in northwest California.
Freedom to Roam Berkeley, CA www.freedomtoroam.org Freedom to Roam is seeking to ensure the survival of wildlife through this century and beyond by connecting habitats already fragmented by humans and shifting due to climate change.
Friends of Blackwater
Friends of the Clearwater
Great Burn Study Group
Charleston, WV www.saveblackwater.org
Moscow, ID www.friendsoftheclearwater.org
Missoula, MT 406-549-7079
FOB works to protect the unique ecology, spectacular landscapes, outdoor recreation and heritage of Blackwater Canyon and watershed through public outreach, advocacy and restoration.
Friends of the Clearwater defends the Idaho Clearwater bioregion’s wild lands and biodiversity through a forest watch program, litigation, grassroots public involvement, outreach and education.
GBSG seeks to conserve the wild and remote character of the northern Bitterroot Mountains in western Montana and northern Idaho, and to secure permanent wilderness protection for the proposed Great Burn Wilderness.
Friends of Flagstaff’s Future
GreenLaw
GreenLaw provides free legal assistance to environmental organizations in order to compel polluters to obey the law and protect Georgia’s citizens and the environment.
Growing Solutions Restoration Education Institute
Growing Solutions Restoration Education Institute is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of California’s remarkable botanic wealth and rich diversity.
Gulf Restoration Network New Orleans, LA www.healthygulf.org
Great Old Broads for Wilderness
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK www.froglife.org
Durango, CO www.greatoldbroads.org
Froglife is committed to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles by working with people for a healthier planet.
Great Old Broads is a public lands organization that uses the voices and activism of elders to preserve and protect wilderness and wild lands.
GRN unites and empowers people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico by providing technical support and mentoring to grassroots groups and leading strategic collaborations on issues affecting the region.
Friends of Nevada Wilderness
Gifford Pinchot Task Force
Great Plains Restoration Council
HabitatWork.org
Reno, NV www.nevadawilderness.org
Portland, OR www.gptaskforce.org
Fort Worth, TX www.gprc.org
La Crescenta, CA www.HabitatWork.org
FNW is dedicated to preserving all qualified Nevada public lands as wilderness, protecting all present and potential wilderness from ongoing threats, informing the public about the values of and need for wilderness, and restoring and improving the management of wild lands.
GPTF works to protect and restore the ecosystems and communities of the central Cascades with a focus on southwest Washington, by promoting conservation of forest and river ecosystems and science-based restoration.
GPRC protects endangered prairie/plains ecosystems and helps equally threatened young people strengthen themselves by taking a personal leadership role in the protection process.
HabitatWork.org is an environmental stewardship action group that performs volunteer projects to improve the habitats of endangered wildlife in Southern California.
Friends of Flagstaff’s Future seeks to sustain and enhance the greater Flagstaff area’s high quality of life through activism and advocacy of policies supporting a livable community.
BioDiveRSity
Harris Center for Conservation Education Hancock, NH www.harriscenter.org The Harris Center promotes understanding and respect for our natural environment through education, direct protection and stewardship of the region’s natural resources, and employs programs that encourage active participation in the great outdoors.
HawkWatch International Salt Lake City, UT www.hawkwatch.org HawkWatch International works to conserve the environment through education, long-term monitoring and scientific research on raptors as indicators of ecosystem health.
Hoh River Trust
Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance
Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center
Seattle, WA www.hohrivertrust.org
Jackson, WY www.jhalliance.org
Ashland, OR www.kswild.org
The Hoh River Trust owns and manages lands along the Hoh River on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula to conserve, restore and enhance them for the benefit of fish, wildlife and people.
The Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance is dedicated to responsible land stewardship in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to ensure that human activities are in harmony with the area’s irreplaceable wildlife, natural and scenic resources.
KS Wild works for the forests and wildlife of the Klamath and Rogue watersheds of northwest California and southwest Oregon, using law, science, education and collaboration to defend ecosystems and build sustainable communities.
Hood River Valley Residents Committee Hood River, OR www.hrvrc.org
in-kind Services
HRVRC works to protect Hood River County’s farm and forestland and the livability of its cities and rural communities through advocacy, research, education and by monitoring land-use processes and decisions.
BIRDS by
Ojai Raptor Center 2009
15th Annual
Salmon Run 5K RUN / 3K WALK
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Santa Barbara, CA www.growingsolutions.org
Froglife
Flagstaff, AZ www.friendsofflagstaff.org
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Grand Canyon Wildlands Council
Environmental Protection Information Center
Headwaters Montana
Horseback Riders for a Wild San Juan
Whitefish, MT www.headwatersmontana.org
Pagosa Springs, CO 970-731-3471
Headwaters Montana works with individuals and communities in the transboundary region to protect its pristine waters, undisturbed wild lands and abundant wildlife.
HRWSJ works to educate and enlist the support of horseback riders in its area to help protect public lands, and provides a voice to educate citizens about local environmental issues.
Benefit for Friends of the Santa Clara River Protecting and preserving the biological and cultural resources of the Santa Clara River Watershed
Course: Certified 5K course on a flat dirt road along the Ventura River Check-in time: 7:30 a.m. Race time: 8:30 a.m. Location: 259 W. Santa Clara St., Ventura, CA, Patagonia’s upper parking lot (Main St. and Olive) Prizes: Patagonia gear awarded for 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-place finishers in each age category. Silent Auction, Raffle, Refreshments Enter here or download a registration form at patagonia.com/salmonrun
*)&69%6=
Hells Canyon Preservation Council
Idaho Conservation League
La Grande, OR www.hellscanyon.org
Boise, ID www.wildidaho.org
HCPC protects and restores the inspiring wild lands, pure waters, unique habitats and biodiversity of the Hells Canyon-Wallowa and Blue Mountain ecosystems through advocacy, education and collaboration, advancing science-based policy and protective land management.
Idaho Conservation League works to preserve Idaho’s clean water, wilderness and quality of life through citizen action, public education and professional advocacy.
Independence Pass Foundation
Keystone Conservation
High Country Citizens Alliance
Aspen, CO www.independencepass.org
Bozeman, MT www.keystoneconservation.us
The Independence Pass Foundation works with local, state and federal agencies to develop and implement projects that maintain and enhance the Independence Pass corridor.
Keystone Conservation pioneers solutions that help people and predators coexist by designing and implementing practical tools for those who live, work and recreate where grizzly bears and wolves roam.
Crested Butte, CO www.hccaonline.org High Country Citizens Alliance champions the protection, conservation and preservation of the natural ecosystems in the Upper Gunnison River basin.
Patagonia’s Creative Services department donated approximately $11,280 worth of graphic design, editing and print services to nonprofits and fundraising events this year.
Land Trust for Santa Barbara County Santa Barbara, CA www.sblandtrust.org The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County works to protect important open space, wildlife habitat, farms and ranches.
BioDiveRSity
9
sharpening skills tools for grassroots activists conference
“Endless pressure, endlessly applied … endless pressure, endlessly applied …” Brock Evans, president of the Endangered Species Coalition, repeated this mantra softly but insistently throughout his keynote speech at the May 2008 Tools for Grassroots Activists Conference. The message was simple: persistence pays off. The more than 70 environmentalists in the room responded with a mixture of knowing smiles, nods, and finally, a standing ovation. Everyone who attends Patagonia’s tools conference could tell their own story of persistence. Participants represent nonprofit organizations working to save our forests, streams, deserts, oceans, mountains and human communities. Diverse work, to be sure – but the toolkit required is much the same. Building campaign momentum, developing effective campaign strategies and tactics, fundraising, working with the media: the tools conference, which Patagonia organizes every two years near Lake Tahoe, Calif., provides expert training in all of these areas. Tools workshops are also led by Patagonia employees who have expertise in marketing, editing, graphic design and web technology. It’s a win-win situation. Our employees deepen their own understanding of environmental issues, and conference participants gain access to free, top-quality consulting advice. In the words of a 2008 tools conference participant: “… this conference has given me the confidence, skills and connections … that will help [me] be more effective.” Our 2008 conference cost $98,965 – and, judging by responses like the one that follows, it was money well spent.
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Activists learning new skills at the Patagonia-sponsored tools Conference. Fallen leaf lake, Calif. tiM DAviS
11
Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center Mount Shasta, CA www.mountshastaecology.org Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center is dedicated to protecting and restoring the outstanding natural and cultural values of Mount Shasta and its surrounding bioregion.
Mountain Wilderness France Grenoble, Rhone-Alpes, France www.mountainwilderness.fr
The Northern Jaguar Project helps to maintain this protected reserve in Sonora, Mexico. Ian Fritz
Legacy Parks Foundation Knoxville, TN www.legacyparks.org LPF works to ensure that its community enjoys exceptional recreational opportunities, natural beauty and open spaces, and that those assets exist for generations to come.
Les Blongios Lille, Nord-Pas de Calais, France www.lesblongios.fr Les Blongios engages the public in the conservation and restoration of undeveloped areas to protect local natural heritage.
Lynn Canal Conservation Haines, AK www.lynncanalconservation.org Lynn Canal Conservation works to foster environmental awareness and protect the natural environment and quality of life in its region.
Mountain Wilderness France works to protect the last areas of mountain wilderness from the ski industry, motorized sports and obsolete infrastructure.
National Parks Conservation Association Jackson, WY www.npca.org National Parks Conservation AssociationGrand Teton Field Office works to protect Grand Teton National Park, including the Teton mountain range, Snake River corridor and diverse wildlife in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone region.
Nevada Wilderness Project Reno, NV www.wildnevada.org Nevada Wilderness Project is committed to saving spectacular, rugged and imperiled public lands in Nevada as permanent wilderness, the strongest protection possible.
Newbury Film Series Somerville, MA www.newburyfilmseries.org NFS supports the creation of thought-provoking independent film in greater Boston by providing filmmakers of all ages with opportunities to receive valuable feedback, network with others and deepen their knowledge of filmmaking.
Nihon Umigame Kyogikai
Prairie Dog Coalition
Rocky Mountain Recreation Initiative
Shimafukuro Aid
Hirakata-shi, Osaka Japan www.umigame.org
Boulder, CO www.prairiedogcoalition.org
Nederland, CO 303-447-9409
Akkeshi-gun, Japan homepage3.nifty.com/fish-owlaid
NUK acts as a liaison among individuals and organizations working to preserve and do research on sea turtles in Japan.
PRC is dedicated to protecting imperiled prairie dogs and restoring their ecosystems by providing information and advocacy training, facilitating communication and planning, and promoting conservation projects.
Rocky Mountain Recreation Initiative is an education and advocacy organization that promotes biology-based recreation policies for Colorado public lands.
Shimafukuro Aid seeks to protect endangered fish owls by educating the public, supporting people working on behalf of the bird, and working with government agencies and corporations.
RSPB Scotland
Sierra Club
Edinburgh, Lothian, UK www.rspb.org.uk
San Francisco, CA www.sierraclub.org
RSPB Scotland works to protect birds and the environment from the threats of climate change, agricultural intensification, expansion of urban areas and transport infrastructure.
The Sierra Club works on behalf of safe and healthy communities in which to live, smart energy solutions to combat global warming and an enduring legacy for America’s wild places.
San Bruno Mountain Watch
Sierra Club Northstar Chapter
Brisbane, CA www.mountainwatch.org
Minneapolis, MN www.northstar.sierraclub.org
RARE works globally to equip people in the world’s most threatened natural areas with the tools and motivation they need to care for their natural resources.
Mountain Watch is dedicated to preserving and protecting San Bruno Mountain’s native American village sites and endangered habitats from further destruction by nonnative plants and urban sprawl.
Sierra Club’s Northstar Chapter works to preserve and protect the environment in Minnesota through educational programs and political activism.
RESTORE: The North Woods
San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council
Concord, MA www.restore.org
Alamosa, CO www.slvec.org
RESTORE: The North Woods works to restore wilderness, recover endangered wildlife and protect public lands in the North Woods of the United States and Canada through advocacy, public awareness and citizen action.
SLVEC seeks to protect and restore – through research, education and advocacy – the biodiversity, ecosystems and natural resources of the upper Rio Grande bioregion, balancing ecological values and human needs.
Northern Jaguar Project Tucson, AZ www.northernjaguarproject.org NJP is dedicated to protecting jaguars and their habitat, seeking to revitalize the northernmost jaguar population by maintaining a protected core reserve in collaboration with ranchers, schools and local communities.
Ojai Raptor Center Oak View, CA www.ojairaptorcenter.org Ojai Raptor Center is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of injured, orphaned and displaced birds of prey in Ventura County.
Onondaga Creek Conservation Council Syracuse, NY 325-470-0778 Onondaga Creek Conservation Council exists to protect, preserve and restore Onondaga Creek and its natural communities using outreach, advocacy, education and stewardship.
Oregon Natural Desert Association Bend, OR www.onda.org ONDA is a membership organization that uses education, science, litigation and grassroots advocacy to protect, defend and restore forever the health of Oregon’s native deserts.
QQS Projects Society Bella Bella, BC Canada 250-957-2917 QQSPS works to support the Heiltsuk youth, culture and environment through the conservation and protection of their traditional lands and resources.
RARE Arlington, VA www.rareconservation.org
Sierra Watch
letters from the field
wild & scenic film festival Wild & Scenic is the largest environmental film festival in the country. Each year, Patagonia offers grants to 50 grassroots environmental groups to help them offset the cost of hosting the festival in their communities. This letter from Friends of Casco Bay speaks to its value. Casco Bay’s rocky coast, rugged islands and scenic waters exemplify Maine’s image
Nevada City, CA www.sierrawatch.org
as a natural wonder. One out of four Mainers live in the Casco Bay watershed. Our
Sierra Watch protects the Sierra Nevada by defending threatened places from misguided development and securing permanent protection of targeted landscapes.
we were able to further our aims by hosting the Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour
SOS Glenshire
eight environmentally themed films, they also learned more about our work to protect
mission is to protect these amazing waters. Thanks to the generosity of Patagonia, in Portland, Maine. We used the power of film to draw 500 members of our community to our event. While people enjoyed good food, local beer and the amazing cinematography of
River Alliance of Wisconsin
SOAR
Truckee, CA www.sosglenshire.org
Madison, WI www.wisconsinrivers.org
Ventura, CA www.soarusa.org
SOS Glenshire seeks to sustain wild lands, wildlife and quality of life around Truckee.
The River Alliance advocates for the protection, enhancement and restoration of Wisconsin’s rivers and watersheds.
Save Our Open Space and Agricultural Resources is working to make Ventura County a better place to live by limiting urban sprawl, protecting open space and agricultural lands, and promoting livable and sustainable communities.
Casco Bay. The festival provided a great platform for us to share how we are improving the bay’s health. We gave attendees concrete ways they could reduce their use of pesticides, keep pollution out of the bay and be good stewards of the waters that have sustained our community for generations. Inspired by the festival’s imagery and messages of hope, many signed up as supporters of Friends of Casco Bay. Can movies change the world? When hundreds of neighbors gather to learn about environmental issues and what they can do in their community, the answer just may be yes. – Cathy L. Ramsdell, CPA, executive director Friends of Casco Bay cascobay.org Maine’s Friends of Casco Bay works to protect these scenic waters. Kristel Sheesley
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Biodiversity
South Carolina Coastal Conservation League Charleston, SC www.coastalconservationleague.org SCCCL seeks to protect the natural environment of the South Carolina coastal plain and to enhance the quality of life of its communities.
Southern Environmental Law Center Atlanta, GA www.SouthernEnvironment.org SELC uses the power of the law and public policy to protect healthy air and clean water in the Southeast, defend its forests, wetlands and coast, and foster livable and sustainable communities.
Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy Portage, MI www.swmlc.org Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy seeks to permanently protect the area’s natural, historic and scenic landscapes to ensure the health and quality of life of its residents.
Surfrider Hawaii Haleiwa, HI www.surfrider.org
1% for the Planet
The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education.
Sustainable Business Council Missoula, MT www.sbcmontana.org SBC envisions a network of vibrant local economies and caring communities based on renewable resources and clean, efficient practices leading to a healthy environment, rewarding employment and high quality of life.
Founded in 2002 by Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard and Blue Ribbon Flies’ Craig Matthews, 1% for the Planet has since channeled some $42 million into the hands of environmental groups around the world – making it one of the largest global funders of environmental work. This year its network of businesses, which contribute 1% of their sales to support almost 1,700 nonprofit environmental organizations worldwide, grew to some 1,143 members. onepercentfortheplanet.org
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Swan View Coalition Kalispell, MT www.swanview.org Swan View Coalition restores quiet habitat for fish, wildlife and people by removing roads and off-road vehicles from public lands.
South Coast Habitat Restoration
Southwest Lobo Coalition
Texas Conservation Alliance
Carpinteria, CA www.schabitatrestoration.org
Flagstaff, AZ www.mexicangraywolf.org
Tyler, TX www.TCAtexas.org
South Coast Habitat Restoration is dedicated to environmental stewardship and habitat enhancement, emphasizing steelhead trout recovery projects near Santa Barbara and Ventura.
SLC works to ensure the future of the endangered Mexican gray wolf by recovering the species and restoring it to its historic range in the southwestern United States.
TCA educates Texans and builds alliances to enhance and sustain wildlife habitat and protect our land, air and water.
BioDiveRSity
The Cougar Fund
Vermont Natural Resources Council
Wild Connections
Jackson, WY www.cougarfund.org
Montpelier, VT www.vnrc.org
Florissant, CO www.wildconnections.org
The Cougar Fund protects the cougar throughout the Americas by educating the public on its value as a species, funding and promoting science as a guide for wildlife management decisions, and monitoring state policies to assure a lasting place for this graceful creature.
VNRC seeks to protect and restore Vermont’s natural resources by building coalitions and offering common sense solutions resulting in environmental protection that endures.
Wild Connections works to identify, protect and restore areas needed to ensure the survival of native species and the ecological richness of the Upper Arkansas and South Platte watersheds.
West Virginia Wilderness Coalition
Wild Things Unlimited
The Lands Council
Morgantown, WV www.wvwild.org
Bozeman, MT www.wildthingsunlimited.org
West Virginia Wilderness Coalition seeks permanent protection for West Virginia’s wildest places on federal lands through wilderness and other legislative designations.
WTU conducts vital wildlife research not being done by government agencies, and sponsors educational programs to increase public awareness of natural resource issues.
the California Wolf Center raises Mexican wolves for release into the wilds of New Mexico and Arizona. Julian, California. Roy toFt
Western Environmental Law Center
Wild Utah Project
Wildlife Conservation Society
Yaak Valley Forest Council
Eugene, OR www.westernlaw.org
Salt Lake City, UT www.wildutahproject.org
Bronx, NY www.wcs.org
Troy, MT www.yaakvalley.org
WELC is a public interest environmental law firm working to protect and restore western wild lands and advocating for a healthy environment on behalf of communities throughout the West.
WUP seeks to maintain and, where needed, restore the health of natural lands in Utah and adjoining states by applying the principles of conservation biology to land management.
WCS seeks to save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks led by the Bronx Zoo.
Western Lands Project
Wilderness Watch
YVFC seeks permanent protection for the remaining roadless areas in the Yaak Valley, and works to maintain and restore the valley’s ecological integrity, encourage and support the development of a sustainable local economy, and empower residents through education and solidarity.
Seattle, WA www.westernlands.org
Missoula, MT www.wildernesswatch.org
WSP scrutinizes public land trades, conveyances and disposals, and their direct and indirect impacts on habitat and wildlife, natural resources, land use and communities in the rapidly growing West and beyond.
Wilderness Watch is dedicated to the protection and proper stewardship of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Western Resource Advocates
Titusville, FL www.twp.org
Spokane, WA www.landscouncil.org The Lands Council safeguards and revitalizes inland Northwest forests, water and wildlife through advocacy, education, action and community engagement.
The Peregrine Fund Boise, ID www.peregrinefund.org The Peregrine Fund works nationally and internationally to conserve birds of prey in nature by restoring species in jeopardy, conserving habitat, educating students, training conservationists, providing information to the public, and accomplishing good science.
Tuleyome Woodland, CA www.tuleyome.org Tuleyome works to protect the wild and agricultural heritage of the Putah and Cache Creek watersheds.
Valley Advocates for Responsible Development Driggs, ID www.tetonvalleyadvocates.org VARD is an advocate for public, private and civic actions that result in the responsible development and sustainable use of water, air, wildlife and land in Teton Valley, Idaho.
Boulder, CO www.westernresourceadvocates.org WRA seeks to protect the West’s land, air and water by advancing clean energy, promoting urban water conservation and river restoration, and defending special public lands from inappropriate energy development and off-road use.
Wildlands Project
Wildlands Project works to protect North America’s native animals and plants by connecting wildlife habitats.
WildWest Institute Missoula, MT www.wildwestinstitute.org The WildWest Institute works to protect and restore forests, wild lands, watersheds and wildlife in the Northern Rockies.
Wolf Conservation Center South Salem, NY www.nywolf.org WCC promotes wolf conservation through education programs and actively breeds and shelters endangered wolf species as part of the national Species Survival Plan Program.
Yakushima Umigame Kan Kumage-gun, Japan www.umigame-kan.org Yakushima Umigame Kan protects migrating sea turtles that land and lay eggs on the beaches of Yakushima Island, a World Heritage Site.
Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative Bozeman, MT www.y2y.net Y2Y seeks to ensure that the wilderness areas of the Yellowstone to Yukon region continue to function as an interconnected web of life capable of supporting natural and human communities.
BioDiveRSity
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freedom to roam company campaigns
Many wild animals must roam to survive. Seasonal migration between habitats is a pattern passed from generation to generation. Even for species that do not migrate seasonally, the ability to find new mates in new places protects genetic health and diversity. But roads, subdivisions, logging and energy projects split and fragment animal habitat. Climate change adds urgency: drought, floods and rising temperatures will force animals to move between habitats or into new ones. If they can’t, more than a million land species face extinction. We can do something. We can create, protect and restore corridors or wildways between protected areas, while also allowing people to recreate, ranch and roam in those corridors. Freedom to Roam is both a Patagonia campaign and a coalition of businesses, environmental groups and outdoor recreational organizations. It includes Patagonia, as founder, as well as Microsoft, British Petroleum, WalMart and Southern California Edison, the Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative, American Wildlands, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. This year’s Patagonia campaign focused on iconic animals like the grizzly, wolverine, and whale, along with the moose and monarch butterfly. They appeared in our cata-
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The Buffalo Field Campaign and other groups work to protect wild buffalo like this one near Yellowstone National Park, Montana. Tim Davis
logs, on our Web site and in our retail stores. We produced a Freedom to Roam fundraising T-shirt and published a series of essays on inspiring people who have helped wildlife survive, including Karl Rappold, a rancher on Montana’s front who ranches with grizzlies, and George Archibald, whose foundation saves whooping cranes. Our leader in FTR is Rick Ridgeway, vice president of Patagonia environmental initiatives. He traveled to the Elyseé Palace in Paris to talk to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, joined the Western Governors’ Association meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and presented FTR to members of Congress. (We’ve caught him changing out of his customary dirtbag duds into his “meet the suits” oxford shirt and jacket more than once.) This summer (2009), we’ll launch our Witness for Wildlife program, which we hope will inspire thousands of North Americans to go into the great wildlife corridors of the continent. Through these trips, people will observe and experience the importance of connectivity. All Witness for Wildlife participants will be encouraged to report, share stories and upload images and videos to our Web site when they return. Stay tuned at patagonia.com/ftr
Biodiversity
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forests An aerial view of the Maine Woods, Chilean forests or those of the Pacific Northwest reveals
Catskill Heritage Alliance
Georgia ForestWatch
Mattole Restoration Council
Shandaken, NY www.catskillheritage.org
Ellijay, GA www.gafw.org
Petrolia, CA www.mattole.org
The all-volunteer Catskill Heritage Alliance is dedicated to preserving harmony between people and wilderness in the central Catskills.
GAFW works to preserve, protect and restore the native ecosystems of the ChattahoocheeOconee national forests, educate others about these forest lands and empower citizen action on their behalf.
MRC is dedicated to restoring natural systems in the Mattole River watershed and maintaining them at sustainable levels of health and productivity, especially in regards to forests, fisheries, soils and native plant and animal communities.
Grand Canyon Wildlands Council
Model Forest Policy Program
Flagstaff, AZ www.grandcanyonwildlands.org
Sagle, ID www.mfpp.org
Grand Canyon Wildlands Council seeks to create and apply a dynamic wildlands network that ensures the existence, health and sustainability of all native species and natural ecosystems in the Grand Canyon ecoregion.
MFPP advocates for economic development and private land forest practices that restore and sustain healthy productive forests, clean and abundant water supplies, and thriving climateresilient communities where people want to live.
Indiana Forest Alliance
Nihon Kumamori Kyokai
Bloomington, IN www.indianaforestalliance.org
Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo Japan homepage2.nifty.com/kumamori
IFA is working to protect and restore Indiana’s forests, hold corporations and government agencies accountable for their actions in them, and establish sustainable economic and political models that ensure their long-term well-being.
Nihon Kumamori Kyokai is working to stop the extinction of large wildlife that help to create a rich, biodiverse ecosystem.
Japan Tropical Forest Network
Olympia, WA www.olympicforest.org
gruesome wastelands where once there were thriving ecosystems. Diverse forests have been replaced by tree plantations to be harvested rather than nurtured as living systems. We continue
Cherokee Forest Voices
to clearcut at a dizzying rate, seemingly oblivious to the economic and environmental reality
Johnson City, TN www.cherokeeforestvoices.org
that soon we will have no trees left to cut. The organizations that follow are working to stop that destruction before it is too late. Total given in this category in fiscal year 2009: $248,680.
Cherokee Forest Voices is a volunteer organization working for the conservation of the Cherokee National Forest.
Forest Ecology Network
Spotlight * Southeast Alaska Conservation Council
Allegheny Defense Project
Bergwaldprojekt, Switzerland
Pittsburgh, PA www.alleghenydefense.org
Trin, Switzerland www.bergwaldprojekt.org
For decades, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) has helped lead the fight to protect the Tongass, Earth’s largest remaining temperate rainforest. SEACC contributed to successful efforts in 1980 to designate Admiralty Island a National Monument Wilderness, and helped protect more than 5 million acres of the Tongass the same year. In 1990, it helped to pass the Tongass Timber Reform Act, which removed an egregious logging mandate and garnered protections for an additional 1.4 million acres.
ADP works to protect and restore the native forests and watersheds of the Allegheny National Forest by shifting them from industrial logging and oil and gas development to sustainable management.
Berkwaldprojekt organizes work projects in various forest environments in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, and offers participants the opportunity to contribute to forest protection.
In this post-pulp-mill era, SEACC is using a new, collaborative, community-centered approach to gain protection for more than 4 million acres of Tongass old-growth. For example, the Hoonah Community Forest Project focuses on putting people to work restoring forests damaged by logging, while also identifying areas suitable for both conservation and small-scale, sustainable-wood products. In a recent victory, the project succeeded in reducing the size of a Tongass timber sale. The reasons to work hard for protection are many. On Admiralty Island alone, there are more grizzly bears than in the lower 48 states, and approximately one-third of the wild salmon caught in Alaska spawn in Tongass streams. Sarah Campen, a SEACC community organizer, describes the need for a collaborative approach: “We recognize that in Southeast Alaska, when times get tough, people look to the forest to bail them out. If we can keep our communities strong, bring people together, and focus everyone on how valuable the forest is … we have an excellent chance to preserve these lands for generations to come.” seacc.org
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A furry denizen and aerial photo of Admiralty Island. Tongass National Forest, Alaska. Amy Gulick
American Lands Alliance Washington, DC www.americanlands.org American Lands seeks to protect and restore America’s forest ecosystems by providing national leadership, coordination and building capacity for the forest conservation movement.
Bergwaldprojekt e.V Würzburg, Bavaria Germany www.bergwaldprojekt.de Bergwaldprojekt works to stem the destruction of Europe’s forests, contributes actively to their preservation and arranges for volunteers to experience firsthand this fascinating ecosystem.
Lexington TWP, ME www.forestecologynetwork.org FEN works on behalf of the Maine Woods by protecting its wildlife, natural resources and biological diversity, restoring forests, promoting sustainable forestry, and supporting large-scale wilderness reserves.
ForestEthics Biodiversity Conservation Alliance Laramie, WY www.voiceforthewild.org Biodiversity Conservation Alliance is dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild places in Wyoming and surrounding states with an emphasis on public land.
Cascadia Wildlands Project Eugene, OR www.cascwild.org Cascadia Wildlands Project seeks to protect and restore the incredible forests, waters and wildlife of Cascadia.
San Francisco, CA www.forestethics.org ForestEthics works to protect endangered forests, wildlife and human well-being through innovative campaigns that challenge corporations and catalyze environmental leadership in industry, governments and communities.
Friends of Allegheny Wilderness Warren, PA www.pawild.org FAW seeks to foster an appreciation of wilderness values and benefits, and to work with communities to ensure that increased wilderness protection is a priority of the stewardship of the Allegheny National Forest.
Shinjuku-ku, Japan www.jca.apc.org/jatan/eng/index-e.html JATAN discourages the use of products made from tropical timber by creating an open dialogue with Japanese consumers and working with industries and government agencies.
Los Padres ForestWatch Santa Barbara, CA www.LPFW.org ForestWatch works to protect and restore wildlife habitat, wilderness landscapes and open spaces of the Los Padres National Forest, from the Big Sur coastline to Ventura’s Sespe Wilderness.
Olympic Forest Coalition
OFC works to protect and restore forest and aquatic ecosystems on public lands of the Olympic Peninsula using advocacy, collaboration, outreach, education and legal challenges.
PEER Washington, DC www.peer.org Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility is a national alliance of local state and federal resource professionals that encourage public employees to defend the public interest within their agencies, serving as the first line of defense against the exploitation and pollution of our environment.
Employee Charity Match Program
Quite a number of Patagonia employees follow the company’s generous example by also donating money to nonprofit groups. This year they gave approximately $113,000 to some 217 organizations with social, environmental and cultural objectives. The company has been matching employee donations since 1995. This year it contributed $87,000 through the Employee Charity Match Program for a program total of around $200,000. Recipients included Habitat for Humanity, Raincoast Conservation Society, Community Health Charities, Earthjustice, United Way of Ventura County, Chez Panisse Foundation, Planned Parenthood and others. Habitat for Humanity receives support (in this case, both physical and monetary) through our charity match program. Jim Little
letters from the field
Pro REGENWALD
SHERPA
The Clinch Coalition
Wild South
Munich, Bavaria Germany www.pro-regenwald.de/
Paris, Ile-de-France France www.asso-sherpa.org
Dungannon, VA www.clinchcoalition.net
Asheville, NC www.wildsouth.org
Pro REGENWALD works on behalf of human rights and against destruction of ecosystems by trying to reduce the German footprint and assist people adversely affected by unsustainable consumption patterns in the industrialized world.
In order to promote sustainable development, SHERPA uses all legal tools available against multinational enterprises engaged in environmental and human rights abuses.
The Clinch Coalition seeks to protect the forest, wildlife and watersheds of the Clinch Ranger District of the Jefferson National Forest and surrounding areas.
Wild South exists to inspire and empower people to protect and restore the native ecosystems of the Southeast.
Sitka Conservation Society
The Forest Park Conservancy
Sitka, AK www.sitkawild.org
Portland, OR www.forestparkconservancy.org
Sitka Conservation Society is dedicated to protecting the Tongass temperate rainforests and an Alaskan way of life in Sitka, Alaska.
The Forest Park Conservancy works to preserve, protect and enhance Portland’s Forest Park for both wildlife and public enjoyment.
Southeast Alaska Conservation Council
TreePeople
Rainforest Action Network Japan Branch Shinjuku-ku, Japan http://treesnotgunns.org/jp/ RAN seeks to permanently protect Tasmania’s old-growth forests and other high-conservation value forests from irresponsible logging.
Save America’s Forests
voice your choice In an effort to encourage greater activism among our customers, this year Patagonia instituted a program called Voice Your Choice (VYC). We invited our customers to visit a Patagonia store to cast a ballot for their favorite, local environmental group. The group that received the most votes received
Washington, DC www.saveamericasforests.org Save America’s Forests is a nationwide educational and organizing campaign working to change United States policy to protect and restore America’s last wild and natural forests.
Juneau, AK www.seacc.org SEACC is dedicated to protecting the prime old-growth forest of southeast Alaska and the Tongass National Forest, while encouraging human enjoyment and use of these remarkable resources.
a $4,000 grant. Along with helping to allocate our stores’ environmental grants budgets, VYC provided customers with opportunities to learn more about local issues, make a contribution and involve themselves in environmental campaigns. The following letter came to John Mathieu, manager of our Freeport Outlet, from RESTORE: The North Woods, which received the most votes at his store. John: Thanks again for the celebration last evening at the conclusion of the Voice Your Choice program. It was truly a surprise to have the oversized check presented to our group. The grant will be especially helpful during the difficult fundraising days of summer. As you pointed out, there are many winners in this program. The Patagonia Freeport staff again demonstrated that you are not just a clothing store. You are a change agent supporting many initiatives to make our state and world a better place. You are also a model for other businesses. And all of the conservation organizations in the running (Friends of Casco Bay, Androscoggin River Alliance, Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund, RESTORE) each garnered attention for their good work. Everyone at the celebration seemed to understand that we are all in this together. – Jym St. Pierre, Maine director RESTORE: The North Woods restore.org A Voice Your Choice display in our Portland store. AMY SINCLAIR
Save Our Canyons Salt Lake City, UT www.saveourcanyons.org Save Our Canyons is dedicated to protecting the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch mountains, canyons and foothills.
Sequoia ForestKeeper Kernville, CA www.sequoiaforestkeeper.org Sequoia ForestKeeper seeks to protect and restore the ecosystems of the southern Sierra Nevada through monitoring, enforcement, education and litigation.
Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition Asheville, NC www.safc.org SAFC seeks to protect and restore the wildlands, waters, native forests and ecosystems of the southern Appalachians by influencing policy and strengthening grassroots conservation organizations.
Sugar Pine Foundation South Lake Tahoe, CA www.sugarpinefoundation.org SPF exists to restore the natural regeneration of white pines in the Lake Tahoe basin so they can continue to be important components of mixedconifer forests.
Beverly Hills, CA www.TreePeople.org TreePeople exists to inspire the people of Los Angeles to take personal responsibility for the urban forest, seeking to transform every Los Angeles neighborhood into a functioning community forest.
TreeUtah Salt Lake City, UT www.treeutah.org
Wildlands CPR Missoula, MT www.wildlandscpr.org Wildlands CPR works to revive and protect wild places by removing roads, preventing new road construction and stopping off-road vehicle abuse.
WildLaw Montgomery, AL www.wildlaw.org WildLaw works to defend the environmental integrity of human and natural communities through education, administrative actions, community capacity building and litigation.
Wyoming Wilderness Association Sheridan, WY www.wildwyo.org
TreeUtah works to improve Utah’s quality of life by enhancing the environment through tree planting, stewardship and environmental education.
Wyoming Wilderness Association works to protect Wyoming’s wild watersheds, intact ecosystems, old-growth forests, important wildlife habitat, and wildlife migration corridors as designated wilderness.
Virginia Forest Watch
Yukon Conservation Society
Nickelsville, VA www.virginiaforestwatch.org
Whitehorse, YT Canada www.yukonconservation.org
Virginia Forest Watch is dedicated to maintaining and restoring the natural ecology and biodiversity of forests across the commonwealth of Virginia through education and citizen participation.
YCS works on behalf of ecosystems throughout the Yukon and beyond, recognizing that human well-being is ultimately dependent upon fully functioning, healthy ecosystems.
The Yukon Conservation Society is working to protect the Yukon’s Peel watershed. Theresa Gulliver
sustainable agriculture The environmental costs of chemical-intensive farming are no longer acceptable. Rampant pesticide use, soil depletion and genetic modification of crops threaten the air we breathe, the water we drink and the land we depend on for food and habitat. Sustainable agriculture is a realistic and necessary alternative to those practices. These groups are leading the fight – either through example or education – to replace the self-defeating cycle of destructive agriculture with the natural and nurturing techniques of sustainable farming. Total given in this category in fiscal year 2009: $143,700.
Iowa CCI
PAN Germany
Seattle, WA www.fwpp.org
Des Moines, IA www.iowacci.org
Hamburg, Germany www.pan-germany.org
FWPP seeks to help the farm worker community with pesticide issues and matters of social justice through advocacy, education, organizing and research.
Iowa CCI empowers and unites people of all ethnic backgrounds to take control of their communities for social, economic and environmental justice.
PAN Germany strives to prevent the hazards and damage to people and the environment caused by highly toxic pesticides and supports sustainable alternatives for the control of pests both in agriculture and indoors.
Farms for Families
Mass Farmers Markets
Livingston, MT www.farmsforfamilies.org
Waltham, MA www.massfarmersmarkets.org
FFF works to build healthy communities by providing resources that initiate market garden projects, encouraging the consumption of locally grown and processed food, and preserving prime farmland in urban growth areas.
MFM partners with farmers, consumers and communities to foster, enhance and sustain farmers’ markets in Massachusetts to improve regional farm viability and community support of local agriculture.
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Spotlight * PAN Europe
A SEED Europe
Dakota Resource Council
Georgia Organics
Amsterdam, Noord Holland Netherlands www.aseed.net
Dickinson, ND www.drcinfo.com
Atlanta, GA www.georgiaorganics.org
Every year, more than 200,000 tons of pesticides are released into the European environment. These chemicals kill not only the specific agricultural pests they are intended to control, but countless nontarget species of birds, fish, insects, frogs and mammals are harmed too – thus posing a substantial threat to the well-being of European ecosystems. A recent study, based in Germany, found that areas close to farms using pesticides show up to six times less biodiversity than habitats surrounding organic farmland.
A SEED Europe (Action for Solidarity, Equality, Environment and Diversity), promotes grassroots organization and nonviolent direct action so people can act to achieve social justice and environmental integrity on local and global levels.
Dakota Resource Council uses grassroots actions to influence public opinion and shape public policy to protect agriculture, natural resources, livelihoods and community well-being.
Georgia Organics is a member-supported organization working to integrate healthy, sustainable and locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians.
Dakota Rural Action
Global Justice Ecology Project
Reducing the use of pesticides can foster the regeneration of failing wildlife populations. The most comprehensive European study ever undertaken into the health of otters found that populations are now far healthier and continue to expand thanks to decreasing levels of certain pesticides in the environment. PAN Europe is a network of grassroots organizations working to replace the use of hazardous pesticides with ecologically sound alternatives. It serves as a forum for exchange and cooperation, and provides a focal point for European Union advocacy. PAN works to engage its members in the European political process, while acting as a single unifying voice in Brussels. Thanks to the continued support of the Patagonia environmental grants program, PAN Europe was recently successful in pushing for the establishment of an official European Union blacklist to eliminate the most hazardous pesticides from European food production. It is now working to support its members in convincing European farmers to reduce their use of pesticides. pan-europe.info
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Farm Worker Pesticide Project
A more sustainable form of agriculture is the goal of many groups we support. Tim Davis
Bronx Land Trust Bronx, NY www.nycgardenlandtrust.org Established by gardeners, Bronx Land Trust supports and sustains community gardening in the belief that green space enhances the quality of city life.
D Acres of New Hampshire Dorchester, NH www.dacres.org D Acres operates an educational center that conducts research and applies and teaches sustainable living skills and small-scale organic farming.
Brookings, SD www.dakotarural.org
Hinesburg, VT www.globaljusticeecology.org
Dakota Rural Action is a statewide membership organization dedicated to sustainable, family based food systems, thriving rural communities and natural resource conservation.
GJEP exists to build local, national and international alliances to address the root causes of social injustice, economic domination and environmental destruction.
Dogwood Alliance
Idaho Rural Council
Asheville, NC www.dogwoodalliance.org
Bliss, ID www.idahoruralcouncil.org
Dogwood Alliance uses grassroots pressure and negotiation to influence companies whose practices destroy millions of acres of southern forests every year.
IRC is committed to preserving the economic well-being of Idaho’s family farms and rural communities, building a more sustainable society that guarantees positive economic and social choices, and promoting good stewardship of humanity, land, air and water.
Washington, DC www.sustainableagriculturecoalition.org NSAC is a national alliance of farm, rural development and conservation groups working to advance common positions to support small- and midsize family farms, protect natural resources, promote healthy rural communities, and provide nutritious and healthy food to consumers.
Organic Exchange O’Donnell, TX www.organicexchange.org Organic Exchange seeks to catalyze market forces to deliver sustained environmental, economic and social benefits through expansion of organic fiber agriculture.
Organic Seed Alliance Port Townsend, WA www.seedalliance.org OSA supports the ethical development and stewardship of the genetic resources of agricultural seed through collaborative education, advisory services and research programs with organic farmers and other seed professionals.
Pesticide Action Network North America San Francisco, CA www.panna.org Pesticide Action Network North America works to replace hazardous pesticides with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives.
Organic farming in Victor, Idaho. Gabe Rogel
RAFI-USA
Tilth Producers of Washington
Pittsboro, NC www.rafiusa.org
Seattle, WA www.tilthproducers.org
RAFI-USA cultivates markets, policies and communities that support thriving, socially just and environmentally sound family farms.
Tilth Producers promotes ecologically sound, economically viable and socially equitable farming practices that improve the health of our communities and natural environment.
Réseau Semences Paysannes Brens, Midi-Pyrénées France www.semencespaysannes.org RSP promotes conservation and dynamic management of biodiversity on farms and gardens through connecting farmers, building partnerships, raising awareness and lobbying for the technical, scientific and legal recognition of peasant farmer-based seed production practices.
Rés’OGM Info Lyon, Rhône-Alpes France www.resogm.org Rés’OGM Info gathers and circulates accurate, science-based information on genetically modified organisms.
Wasatch Community Gardens Salt Lake City, UT www.wasatchgardens.org Wasatch Community Gardens is dedicated to helping people grow and share fresh produce, teaching urban youth responsibility, cooperation and ecological awareness, and being an active resource for sustainable organic gardening.
Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project Billings, MT www.worc.org WORC is committed to building sustainable environmental and economic communities that balance economic growth with the health of people and stewardship of their land, water and air resources.
Sustainable Agriculture
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water/ marine Water, the resource upon which all life depends, covers almost three-quarters of the planet.
Aspetuck Land Trust
Boulder Creek Watershed Initiative
Westport, CT www.aspetucklandtrust.org
Boulder, CO http://bcn.boulder.co.us/basis/bcwi
The Aspetuck Land Trust preserves open space and natural resources in Easton, Fairfield, Weston and Westport, Connecticut, for public benefit.
BCWI exists to protect and enhance the health of the Boulder Creek watershed by communitybased stewardship through information, education and action.
Throughout the history of the natural world, water sources have been the centers of life, providing habitat and sustenance for animals and plants alike. The groups that follow are doing important work to protect our waters – rivers, oceans, wetlands, aquifers and vernal pools – from the destructive effects of damming, diversion, development and pollution. Total given in this category in fiscal year 2009: $682,137.
Aterra Project Kiso-gun, Japan www.aterra.jp Attera Project seeks to recover and preserve the natural environment of Aterra Valley, home of native Yamato-Iwana (Japanese char), and protect the watershed.
Au Sable River Association
Spotlight * Yamba for Tomorrow Society An estimated 3,000 dams block Japan’s rivers and streams, and an estimated 170 more are under construction or being planned. The Yamba Dam, proposed for the Agatsuma River, is one of the most costly and potentially destructive of them. The dam site is in the Agatsuma Valley in the town of Naganohara, Gunma Prefecture. It’s an area of natural beauty that’s home to several species of animals, including the endangered Japanese golden eagle. If built, the Yamba would flood about 780 acres, require the relocation of 422 households and affect the lives of some 1,100 residents. Kawarayu Onsen hot springs, which has a history of human use reaching back 800 years, would be drowned beneath the Yamba’s reservoir, as would roads and rail lines. First conceived back in 1952 as a reservoir and bulwark for flood control, the Yamba Dam is today of questionable value. However, despite heightened environmental concerns and a global trend against dams, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has stated its intention to extend the Yamba Dam construction period to 2015. Patagonia grant recipient, Yamba for Tomorrow Society, formed in 1999 to protect and preserve the diversity, ecological integrity and historic value of the Agatsuma Valley. It has been working to increase awareness about the dire environmental and social consequences of the Yamba Dam, through on-site tours, speaker and music events, and books. It is also lobbying for review of the dam plan and for the enactment of laws that would better safeguard the community. yamba-net.org/eng
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(left) Yamba for Tomorrow is working to keep this river free of dams. YAMBA FOR TOMORROW SOCIETY. (right) Removal of this obsolete dam in Ventura County, Calif., is the goal of the Matilija Coalition. PAUL JENKIN
Algalita Marine Research Foundation Long Beach, CA www.algalita.org Algalita Marine Research Foundation is dedicated to the protection of the marine environment and its watersheds through research, education and restoration.
American Littoral Society Broad Channel, NY www.alsnyc.org ALS seeks to encourage a better understanding of the marine environment and provide a unified voice advocating protection of the delicate fabric of life along the shore.
Anchorage Waterways Council Anchorage, AK www.anchoragecreeks.org
Elizabethtown, NY www.ausableriver.org
Anchorage Waterways Council works to protect, restore and enhance the waterways, wetlands and associated uplands of Anchorage.
ASRA is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the natural and cultural resources of the Au Sable River watershed by bringing together landowners, nonprofit organizations, local governments and government agencies.
Apalachicola Riverkeeper
Blue Ocean Institute
Apalachicola, FL www.apalachicolariverkeeper.org
East Norwich, NY www.blueocean.org
AR works on behalf of the Apalachicola River and Bay, providing stewardship and advocacy to protect its tributaries and watersheds, maintaining and improving its environmental integrity, and preserving its natural, scenic, recreational and commercial fishing character.
Blue Ocean Institute uses science, art and literature to inspire a closer connection with the sea.
American Whitewater
Arkansas Earth Day Foundation
Cullowhee, NC www.americanwhitewater.org
Little Rock, AR www.ArkansasEarthDay.org
American Whitewater exists to conserve and restore America’s whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.
Arkansas Earth Day Foundation works to increase community awareness of environmental issues and eco-friendly solutions through an annual statewide festival and educational and research projects.
Boquet River Association Elizabethtown, NY www.boquetriver.org Boquet River Association is dedicated to enhancing the quality of water and life in the Boquet River watershed.
Bronx River Alliance Bronx, NY www.bronxriver.org BRA works collaboratively with public and private partners to protect, improve and restore the Bronx River and create a continuous greenway through the heart of the Bronx.
Citizen scientists survey rocky reefs at Casino Pt., Catalina Island, as part of Reef Check’s California Program. Kenneth Kopp
California Abalone Association
Cape Eleuthera Foundation
Clark Fork Coalition
Santa Barbara, CA 805-698-8353
Princeton, NJ www.ceibahamas.org
Missoula, MT www.clarkfork.org
CAA works to restore and steward an abalone fishery in California that utilizes modern management concepts, protects and enhances the resource, and guarantees a sustainable resource for the future.
CEF provides charitable funding support for education, scientific research, community leadership and sustainable technologies on the island of Eleuthera and throughout the world.
CFC seeks to protect and restore the Clark Fork River basin in western Montana and northern Idaho, through science-based advocacy and energetic outreach.
Cassiar Watch
Clean Water for North Carolina
Iskut, BC Canada 250-484-8277
Asheville, NC www.cwfnc.org
Cassiar Watch works to protect the wild border rivers between Northern British Columbia and Southeast Alaska for wild salmon.
CWFNC promotes clean, safe water and environments, and empowered, just communities for all North Carolinians, through community organizing, education, advocacy and technical assistance.
California Trout San Francisco, CA www.caltrout.org California Trout works to protect, recover and restore California’s wild trout, steelhead and salmon species, and the precious waters that sustain them, from the threats of climate change and burgeoning population growth.
Campaign to Safeguard America’s Waters Haines, AK www.earthisland.org/c-saw CSAW seeks to protect and maintain the beneficial uses of all public waters by advocating for the full implementation of the goals and objectives of the Clean Water Act.
Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation Charlotte, NC www.catawbariverkeeper.org CRF advocates for and works to secure protection and enhancement of the Catawba River, its lakes, tributaries and watershed, so that it will always sustain the human and wildlife populations that depend on it.
Coastal Ranches Conservancy Summerland, CA 805-969-1440 Coastal Ranches Conservancy works to identify, fund and implement projects that enhance, protect and restore the natural environment of the Gaviota Coast.
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Earthplace
Friends of the Earth
Heyday Institute
International Rivers
Westport, CT www.earthplace.org
Washington, DC www.foe.org
Berkeley, CA www.heydaybooks.com
Berkeley, CA www.internationalrivers.org
Earthplace educates the community about the environment and about ways to preserve, protect and enjoy nature.
FoE fights to protect the rights of all people to live in a safe and healthy environment, both at home and in countries around the world.
Heyday specializes in books that foster an understanding of California history, literature, art, environment, social issues and culture to enhance California’s rich cultural heritage.
Ecotrust Canada
FutaFriends
IR is dedicated to protecting rivers and defending the rights of communities that depend on them, opposing destructive dams and the development model they advance, and encouraging better ways of meeting people’s needs for water, energy and protection from damaging floods.
Vancouver, BC Canada www.ecotrustcan.org
Wellington, FL www.futafriends.org
Because overfishing, destruction of habitat, pollution, invasive species and global warming are taking their toll on native fish populations, in 2005 Patagonia started the World Trout® initiative to educate and provide financial support for grassroots groups working worldwide to protect fish. World Trout earns its money through the sale of fundraising T-shirts. As of February 2009, its supporters had purchased 76,222 tees, raising $381,100 for 18 different fish groups. Patrick Clayton
Ecotrust Canada is working to build the Conservation Economy in which economic opportunity improves rather than degrades social and environmental conditions.
FutaFriends dedicates itself to ensuring the freeflow of Chile’s Futaleufu River, and protecting the natural resources of its watershed through community stewardship, education and sustainable development.
Coastal Watershed Council
Eyak Preservation Council
Santa Cruz, CA www.coastal-watershed.org The Coastal Watershed Council is dedicated to preserving and protecting coastal watersheds by way of community stewardship, education and monitoring.
Community Clean Water Institute Sebastopol, CA www.ccwi.org Community Clean Water Institute seeks to promote and protect clean water and public health by identifying water pollution, advocating for sound water policies, and providing information to the public.
Connecticut Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound New Haven, CT www.ctenvironment.org CFE works to protect the land, air and water of Connecticut and Long Island Sound using its legal and scientific expertise, and by bringing people together to achieve results that benefit the environment.
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Connecticut River Watershed Council Greenfield, MA www.ctriver.org CRWC works to protect the Connecticut River watershed from its source to the sea.
Coosa River Basin Initiative Rome, GA www.coosa.org
Cordova, AK www.redzone.org EPS preserves, restores and celebrates wild salmon culture and habitat through awareness, education and promotion of sustainable livelihoods within the communities of the Copper River and Prince William Sound watersheds of Alaska.
Farmington River Watershed Association
CRBI seeks to involve people in creating a cleaner, healthier more economically viable Coosa River basin.
Simsbury, CT www.frwa.org
CPAWS-NS
FRWA protects the natural resources of the Farmington River watershed through advocacy, research and education of the public, government and business communities.
Halifax, NS Canada www.cpaws.org CPAWS-NS is dedicated to keeping Nova Scotia wild, working collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders and using science, education and advocacy to approach conservation issues.
Friends of Casco Bay South Portland, ME www.cascobay.org Friends of Casco Bay works to improve and protect the environmental health of Casco Bay.
Georgia River Network Athens, GA www.garivers.org Georgia River Network is working to ensure a clean water legacy by engaging and empowering Georgians to protect and restore their rivers from the mountains to the coast.
Glen Canyon Institute Salt Lake City, UT www.glencanyon.org The Glen Canyon Institute seeks to restore a healthy, free-flowing Colorado River through Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon.
Harry and Laura Nohr Chapter of Trout Unlimited Dodgeville, WI www.nohrtu.org This chapter of TU works with constituted authorities and other conservation organizations to conserve and preserve trout as a game fish and promote sportsmanlike trout angling.
Hokugen No Dugong Wo Mimamoru Kai Hino-shi, Japan http://sea-dugong.org Hokugen No Dugong Wo Mimamoru Kai works to protect the northernmost dugong in Okinawa.
Housatonic River Initiative Lenoxdale, MA www.housatonicriver.org HRI is a coalition of Berkshire County residents working to reclaim the Housatonic River from years of neglect and PCB contamination.
Hydropower Reform Coalition Bellingham, WA www.hydroreform.org The Hydropower Reform Coalition works to reform national hydropower policies and gain improvements to rivers that have been altered by hydropower dams.
Idaho Rivers United Boise, ID www.idahorivers.org Idaho Rivers United is a conservation organization working to protect and restore the rivers of Idaho.
Ishiki-gawa No Seiryu Wo Mamori, Kawadana-gawa No Chisui Wo Kangaeru Kai Fukuoka-shi, Japan 092-725-4390 This group seeks to save the Ishiki-gawa and Kawadana-gawa rivers from the construction of Ishiki Dam, which would harm the rich natural environment and historical integrity of the Ishiki area.
James River Association Mechanicsville, VA www.jamesriverassociation.org JRA is committed to uniting communities along the James by promoting the river as a common resource, while working to preserve its environmental health, beauty, heritage, economic vitality and recreational value.
Klamath Riverkeeper Ashland, OR www.klamathriver.org Klamath Riverkeeper works to restore water quality and fisheries throughout the Klamath watershed, bringing vitality and abundance backto the river and its people.
Komoriuta No Sato Itsuki Wo Hagukumu Seiyu Kawabegawa Wo Mamoru Fukuoka No Kai
Maine Rivers
Fukuoka-shi, Japan 092-725-4390
Maine Rivers is dedicated to protecting, restoring and enhancing the ecological health of Maine’s river systems.
This group seeks to protect the Kawabegawa River from a dam project and bring beautiful rivers back to Japan.
Kootenai Environmental Alliance Coeur d’Alene, ID www.kealliance.org Kootenai Environmental Alliance exists to conserve, protect and restore the quality of the environment with particular emphasis on the Idaho panhandle and Coeur d’Alene basin.
Kumagawa Kara Subeteno Dam Wo Nakushite Ayu No Taigun Wo Yobimodosu Kai Fukuoka-shi, Japan 092-725-4390 This organization is working to remove Arase dam from the Kawabegawa River, stop the construction of sediment control dams and recover the natural ecosystem that supports the regional economy.
Living Rivers Moab, UT www.livingrivers.org Living Rivers/Colorado Riverkeeper works to restore inundated river canyons, wetlands and the delta; repeal antiquated laws; reduce water and energy use; and recruit constituents to revive the Colorado River.
Madison River Foundation Ennis, MT www.madisonriverfoundation.org
Hallowell, ME www.mainerivers.org
Mangrove Action Project Port Angeles, WA www.mangroveactionproject.org MAP partners with mangrove forest communities, grassroots NGOs, researchers and local governments to conserve and restore mangrove forests and related coastal ecosystems.
Marine Fish Conservation Network Washington, DC www.conservefish.org Marine Fish Conservation Network advocates for national policies to achieve healthy oceans and productive fisheries.
Matilija Coalition/Surfrider Foundation Ventura Ventura, CA www.venturaecosystem.blogspot.com The Matilija Coalition is a group of environmental, conservation, surfing, sport fishing and river groups, as well as businesses, that have joined together to restore the Ventura River watershed through the removal of Matilija Dam.
Maule Coastkeeper Santiago, RM Chile www.fima.cl Maule Coastkeeper serves as a pioneering scientist, advocate, lawyer and investigator to provide a collective voice and environmental protection for the coastal waters and shorelines of Regions VII and VIII in Chile.
MRF employs advocacy and conservation work to preserve, protect and enhance the Madison River and its ecosystem for the benefit of wildlife and all who use the river. water/marine
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Mid Puget Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group Seattle, WA www.midsoundfisheries.org This group works with landowners to identify, design and implement salmon habitat restoration projects in an effort to conserve and restore self-sustaining salmonid populations.
Midwest Environmental Advocates Madison, WI www.midwestadvocates.org MEA provides legal services that support a diverse, grassroots social movement, builds local leadership, and implements innovative solutions to environmental problems.
Nagaragawa Shimin Gakshu Kai Gifu-shi, Japan http://dousui.org Nagaragawa Shimin Gakshu Kai provides public educational opportunities and lobbies government agencies to improve the natural environment of the Nagaragawa River.
Nakagawa Water Network Tsuru-Kame Tai Otawara-shi, Tochigi-ken Japan 090-2753-1322 This organization is working to stop construction of a tunnel that will transfer water from Nakagawa River to Kasumigaura Lake.
Native Fish Society Molalla, OR www.nativefishsociety.org NFS advocates for the conservation, protection and restoration of native fish populations in the Pacific Northwest, working with public agencies and governments to get fish conservation policies implemented and adhered to.
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Natural Resources Defense Council
Oceana
New York, NY www.nrdc.org
Washington, DC www.oceana.org
NRDC exists to safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.
Oceana’s marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates work to win specific and concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and prevent the collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life.
Neponset River Watershed Association Canton, MA www.neponset.org Neponset River Watershed Association works to protect and restore the Neponset River, its tributaries and surrounding watershed lands.
Nihon No Kaigan Kankyo Wo Mamoru Kai Chosei-fun, Chiba-ken Japan www.surfer-kaze.com This organization of surfers works to protect ocean and beach environments by establishing a broad network that ties national, prefectural and local governments to local communities.
Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides Eugene, OR www.pesticide.org Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides seeks to protect the health of people and the environment by advancing alternatives to pesticides.
Norwalk Seaport Association Norwalk, CT www.seaport.org NSA is an environmental, preservation and maritime educational organization offering a wide array of programs, special events and community projects.
Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies Provincetown, MA www.coastalstudies.org Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies encourages the responsible use and conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems using scientific research, stewardship, educational activities and resources.
Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper
Raincoast Conservation Foundation
Statesborough, GA www.ocrk.org
Sidney, BC Canada www.raincoast.org
Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper seeks to protect, preserve and ensure clean water in the Ogeechee basin.
RCF seeks to protect the lands, waters and wildlife of the Great Bear Rainforest.
Penobscot River Restoration Trust Augusta, ME www.penobscotriver.org Penobscot Trust is working to restore endangered Atlantic salmon and other native sea-run fisheries of Maine’s Penobscot River ecosystem by purchasing and decommissioning three dams.
Reef Check Headquarters Pacific Palisades, CA www.reefcheck.org RCH educates, trains and engages ocean users in the collection of scientifically sound data describing California’s near shore rocky reefs to help inform management decisions and create an informed constituency supportive of sciencebased management.
Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research
River Network
Oceanside, CA www.pier.org
Portland, OR www.rivernetwork.org
PIER is dedicated to the advancement of sustainable fisheries management through applied field research and public education.
River Network is dedicated to providing organizational, technical and networking assistance to people working for watershed protection at the local level to build a powerful new watershed movement in the U.S.
Pro Peninsula San Diego, CA www.propeninsula.org Pro Peninsula works to build strong communities on the Baja California peninsula for longterm environmental protection.
Rivers Without Borders Juneau, AK www.riverswithoutborders.org Rivers Without Borders seeks to maintain and restore the diversity and abundance of fish and wildlife species and their habitat in the transboundary watersheds of Canada and Southeast Alaska, and to encourage long-term conservation-based planning.
Rob Williams and Erin Ashe
San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy
Save the Poudre Coalition
Sea Turtle Restoration Project
Edmonds, WA 206-300-2856
Encinitas, CA www.sanelijo.org
Fort Collins, CO www.savethepoudre.org
Forest Knolls, CA www.seaturtles.org
Rob Williams and Erin Ashe are working to improve the quantity and quality of information available to assess the conservation status and influence the recovery of marine megafauna by employing cost-efficient, quantitative science.
San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy dedicates itself to preserving, protecting and enhancing the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve and its watershed.
Save the Poudre works to protect and restore the Cache La Poudre River as it flows across Colorado’s plains.
STRP works to protect and restore endangered sea turtle populations worldwide in ways that meet the needs of the turtles and those of neighboring communities.
Rock the Earth
Santa Barbara, CA www.sbck.org
Denver, CO www.RockTheEarth.org Rock the Earth is committed to protecting and defending America’s natural resources through partnerships with the music industry and the worldwide environmental community using litigation and negotiation.
Rocking the Boat Bronx, NY www.rockingtheboat.org Rocking the Boat uses traditional wooden boatbuilding and environmental education to help high-school-age youths develop into empowered and responsible adults.
Ryuiki No Shizen Wo Kangaeru Network Hokkaido, Japan www.protectingecology.org This group works to protect watersheds and habitat, and educate the public on the importance of migration areas for wild animals.
San Diego Coastkeeper San Diego, CA www.sdcoastkeeper.org SDC uses community outreach, education and advocacy to protect the region’s bays, beaches, watersheds and ocean for the people and wildlife that depend on them.
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper exists to protect and restore the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds through citizen action, education, field work and enforcement.
Clothing Donations
Santa Monica BayKeeper Marina Del Rey, CA www.smbaykeeper.org Santa Monica Baykeeper seeks to protect and restore the Santa Monica Bay, San Pedro Bay and adjacent waters through enforcement, fieldwork and community action.
Save Our Shores Santa Cruz, CA www.saveourshores.org Save Our Shores advocates for sound marine policy, provides public education and promotes citizen stewardship for the Monterey Bay.
Save Our Wild Salmon
Children from this village in Myanmar’s Shan state dress a little warmer now thanks to Patagonia® jackets and fleece donated through the company’s clothing donation program. The Shanta Foundation – a Durango, Colorado-based nonprofit that partners with villages in Southeast Asia for sustainable community development – made sure the clothing was put to good use. It was among some $357,000 (retail value) worth of new and used Patagonia gear the company donated this year to approximately 810 different entities that share a passion for doing the right thing. shantafoundation.org Courtesy of THE SHANTA FOUNDATION
Seattle, WA www.wildsalmon.org SOS works to restore abundant wild salmon to Northwest rivers and streams for use by people and ecosystems by removing four large dams on the lower Snake River.
Save the Waves Coalition
Seaflow
Davenport, CA www.savethewaves.org
Sausalito, CA www.seaflow.org
Save the Waves is dedicated to preserving the world’s surfing coastlines and their surrounding environments and to educate the public about their value.
Seaflow is working to build an international movement dedicated to protecting humans, whales, dolphins and all marine life from sonar and other lethal forms of ocean noise pollution.
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Shifting Baselines Los Angeles, CA www.shiftingbaselines.org
freedom to roam goes to congress At Patagonia, we believe in sharing our passion for the environment when whenever and wherever possible: on our Web site, in our stores and through our products. Our environmental T-shirts are one example – through graphic art and often provocative messaging, they raise money for nonprofits and spark conversations. Sometimes, as happened recently, that spark can ignite a chain reaction with unexpected positive results. Last year, Cathleen “Cat” Angell, who manages the Patagonia store in Denver, gave her sister, Laurel, a Freedom to Roam T-shirt as a birthday gift. The two grew up in Yosemite National Park, where their dad worked as park engineer, and they share a passion for nature. So it’s not surprising the T-shirt prompted a conversation between the sisters that inspired Laurel to further investigate the Freedom to Roam message of protecting wildlife corridors. What is surprising is that this simple gift became the first step on a path that led the Freedom to Roam campaign all the way to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. In a classic case of “six degrees of separation,” here’s how it happened: Laurel is a legislative staffer for the House of Representative’s Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. Recognizing the importance of Freedom to Roam, Laurel shared the issue and information with others in her office. They agreed that members of Congress needed to hear it as well, and, in March 2009, they invited Rick Ridgeway, Patagonia’s VP of Environmental Initiatives and founder of the Freedom to Roam Coalition, to testify before the subcommittee on behalf of Freedom to Roam. The fundraising T-shirt has garnered more than $20,000 for the Freedom to Roam Coalition, which is working to secure wildlife corridors and encourage legislation that does the same. With the positive reception Rick received in Congress, we’re confident we’ll see such legislation in the future. Stay tuned on our Web site – there may come a time this year when we ask you to get involved! patagonia.com/ftr.
Shifting Baselines is a partnership between ocean conservation and Hollywood to help bring attention to the severity of ocean decline.
Shitara Dam No Kensetsu Chushi Wo Motomeru Kai Toyohashi-shi, Japan http://no-dam.net/index.html Shitara Dam No Kensetsu Chushi Wo Motomeru Kai is working to stop the construction of Shitara Dam on the Toyokawa River, which serves as important habitat for endangered trout and other wildlife.
SOS Loire Vivante Le Puy-En-Velay, Auvergne France www.rivernet.org/soslv.htm SOS Loire Vivante is fighting dams on the Loire River and elsewhere in Europe, and opposing any project damaging biodiversity in and around the Loire.
Suigen Kaihatsu Mondai Zenkoku Renrakukai Chiyoda-ku, Japan www.suigenren.org This coalition works to develop strategies and tactics to fight irresponsible development, educate the public about the government’s water resource development plan and negotiate with government agencies to improve the plan.
Sunshine Coast Conservation Association Sechelt, BC Canada www.thescca.ca SCCA seeks to preserve the natural biodiversity of B.C.’s Sunshine Coast region for the benefit of all life.
Tennessee Clean Water Network
Trout Unlimited of North Carolina
Knoxville, TN www.tcwn.org
Fletcher, NC www.nctu.org
TCWN organizes Tennesseans to claim their right to clean water and healthy communities by fostering civic engagement, building coalitions and advancing water policy.
Trout Unlimited works to conserve, protect and restore North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.
The Quivira Coalition Santa Fe, NM www.quiviracoalition.org The Quivira Coalition strives to build resilience by fostering ecological, economic and social health through education, innovation, collaboration and progressive public/private land stewardship.
St. Agnes, Cornwall, UK www.sas.org.uk SAS campaigns for clean, safe, recreational waters free of sewage effluents, toxic chemicals, nuclear waste and litter.
Soundkeeper
Surfrider Foundation Japan
Norwalk, CT www.soundkeeper.org
Minato-ku, Japan www.surfrider.jp
Soundkeeper is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the biological, physical and chemical integrity of Long Island Sound and its watershed.
Surfrider Foundation Japan is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our oceans, waves and beaches through conservation, activism, research and education activities.
Stroud Water Research Center
Tahoe Divers Conservancy
Avondale, PA www.stroudcenter.org
Reno, NV www.alpengroup.org
Through rigorous research, education and public outreach, Stroud Water Research Center seeks to advance our global knowledge and stewardship of fresh water ecosystems.
Tahoe Divers Conservancy documents, studies, investigates and conserves the complex marine environment that defines Lake Tahoe.
Atlanta, GA www.chattahoochee.org UCR works to secure the protection and stewardship of the Chattahoochee River, its tributaries and watershed, to restore and preserve their ecological health for the people, fish and wildlife that depend on the river.
Buster the salmon visits Idaho, where the largest, coldest, best protected salmon habitat in the Lower 48 has been blocked by dams on the lower Snake River. GREG STAhL
Utah Rivers Council
West Kootenay EcoSociety
Yamba Ashita-no Kai
Salt Lake City, UT www.utahrivers.org
Nelson, BC Canada www.ecosociety.ca
Maebashi-shi, Japan www.yamba-net.org
Trout Unlimited works to conserve, protect and restore North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.
Utah Rivers Council exists to protect Utah’s rivers and clean-water sources through grassroots organizing, direct advocacy, research, education, community leadership and litigation.
West Kootenay EcoSociety promotes ecologically and socially sound communities, and works to protect species and ecosystems in the southern Columbia Mountains ecoregion.
Yamba Ashita-no Kai seeks to protect and preserve the diversity, ecological integrity and historic value of Yamba area, in the face of a long fight against the Yamba Dam project.
Trout Unlimited-Madison/Gallatin
Virginia Save Our Streams
West Virginia Rivers Coalition
Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve
Bozeman, MT www.mgtu.org
Richmond, VA www.vasos.org
Elkins, WV www.wvrivers.org
Big Bay, MI www.yellowdogwatershed.org
Trout Unlimited works to conserve, protect and restore North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.
VA SOS provides individuals with opportunities to better understand local stream conditions and to use that knowledge to protect the resources within their communities.
WVRC strives to protect and improve water quality throughout the state by enabling citizens to take part in water-quality issues affecting their communities.
Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve exists to inform the public about its watershed, conduct sound science, and protect natural resources from threats such as sulfide mining.
Trout Unlimited-Cheyenne Mountain Chapter
Wajiro Higata Wo Mamoru Kai
WiLDCOAST
Colorado Springs, CO www.cmctu.org
Fukuoka-shi, Japan http://www14.ocn.ne.jp/~hamasigi/
Imperial Beach, CA www.wildcoast.net
The Cheyenne Mountain Chapter of TU works to conserve, protect and restore the resources of cold-water fisheries and their watersheds.
Wajiro Higata Wo Mamoru Kai is working to protect the Wajiro tidal flat of the Hakata Gulf from being destroyed.
WiLDCOAST works to protect and preserve coastal ecosystems and wildlife in the Californias and Latin America by raising grassroots support, conducting media campaigns and establishing protected areas.
Trout Unlimited Surfers Against Sewage
Upper Chattahoochee RiverKeeper
Truckee, CA www.tu.org
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cleaner clothes bluesign technologies
For years Patagonia focused on the first steps of our supply chain. We learned about the horrible damage done by the pesticides used on conventionally grown cotton and made the switch to organic in 1996. We incorporated recycled polyester into our clothing to reduce our need for petroleum and energy. We utilized hemp and Tencel®. But we’d long struggled with the best way to address the host of environmental issues that come from using dyes and finishes – the oftentimes toxic chemistry that’s also found in clothing. The independent industry textile standard
Then in 2000, we met the people of bluesign® technologies, a group of chemists with a vision based on their years of work in the textile and chemical industries in Europe. Europe has some of the strictest environmental standards in the world, which informed bluesign’s development of its own independent textile standard to evaluate dye and finish chemicals. Bluesign offers its standard to the global textile industry as a supply-chain management solution. We signed on. Bluesign looks at all the chemical raw materials used in a given textile mill and assigns each to one of three categories: blue, grey or black. Chemicals that pass its envi-
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Cleaner clothes for a cleaner environment. Alaska. MICHAEL SCHAEFER
ronmental screening are labeled blue and considered good to use. Those that need special handling are labeled grey and allowed only if the mill is properly equipped. Chemicals that can’t be handled cleanly are labeled black, and their use is forbidden under the bluesign standard. An example of a black substance would be one that has been proven carcinogenic. Wanting to improve the environmental aspects of dye and finish processes industry- wide, we invited Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada to check out bluesign. They did, and became members. Since then, both of us have invited other brands to do the same – even companies that compete with us directly. We also are happy to report that seven of our material suppliers adopted the bluesign standard just this year. This exceeded our expectation. Patagonia is a small, but relatively influential company. We know that if we don’t reach beyond our own walls to implement our environmental work, the impact won’t be felt. Our hope is that by reaching out to other companies, we will have a much larger cumulative effect in reducing pollution and the use of water and energy.
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alternative energy Our dependence on nonrenewable energy is placing us in serious jeopardy. Climate change, global warming and an increasingly degraded environment are realities we urgently need to address. Clean, sustainable sources of energy already exist. The challenges to increasing their use are more political than logistical. These organizations are working to bridge this gap. Total given in this category in fiscal year 2009: $31,500
Spotlight * Office for Resource Efficiency Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed the Colorado Climate Action Plan in November 2007. It has ambitious goals, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions 20% below 2005 levels by 2020, and 80% by 2050. We need such visionary plans to stop climate change. But, the question remains: How can communities take action to help turn that vision into reality? Enter one of our grantees: the Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE), in Crested Butte, Colo. ORE provides the leadership necessary to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy to Colorado’s Gunnison Valley – a diverse area encompassing four local governments. ORE’s 2008 Energy Summit resulted in community energy action plans to be implemented starting July 2009. Energy action plans help people take steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Representatives from government, business, community groups and retirees are involved, and in the Gunnison Valley, they engage in everything from weatherizing buildings to promoting energy conservation, to implementing local use of renewable energy. ORE uses a handy four-step framework to guide individuals and communities in fighting climate change. It’s represented by the acronym CROP, which stands for: Calculate a baseline for carbon footprint and energy consumption; Reduce energy consumption and emissions through conservation and efficiency; Offset energy use and emissions through carbon offsets; and Produce clean energy through renewable technologies. This activist approach to fighting climate change is one we should all consider taking into our businesses, communities and homes. resourceefficiency.org
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(left) Solar electric panels at Patagonia headquarters in Ventura. TIM DAVIS; (right) Coley Malloy fuels her veg-powered rig. Ben Moon
Alternative Energy Resources Organization Helena, MT www.aeromt.org AERO serves the needs of people working to promote renewable energy and energy conservation, sustainable agriculture and greater community self-reliance.
Earth Day Network and Energy Action Coalition Washington, DC www.earthday.net Earth Day Network and the Energy Action Coalition run collaborative campaigns that help to build and strengthen the alternative energy movement and create tangible changes on the local, state, national and international levels.
Energy Independence Now Coalition Santa Barbara, CA www.einow.org EIN is working to develop innovative, actionoriented solutions to catalyze a rapid transition to a clean, renewable energy and transportation economy in California.
HEAL Utah
Rural Renewable Energy Alliance Pine River, MN www.rreal.org RREAL seeks to improve the environment, reduce poverty and enhance lives by making solar power accessible to people of all incomes.
Utah Clean Energy Salt Lake City, UT www.utahcleanenergy.org Utah Clean Energy is committed to creating a future where Utahans significantly decrease their carbon-based energy consumption, become more energy efficient and increase their use of renewable energy.
Harnessing wind for electric power in Montana. JONNY COPP
Salt Lake City, UT www.healutah.org HEAL Utah is dedicated to creating a future of clean, sustainable economic and energy development, and protecting Utah from nuclear and toxic waste.
Nanohana Project Network Gamo-gun, Japan www.nanohana.gr.jp/index.php Nanohana Project Network works with communities, colleges, local governments and businesses to promote the use of electricity fueled by biomass.
Office for Resource Efficiency Crested Butte, CO www.resourceefficiency.org ORE encourages energy and resource savings and the development of renewable energy sources to lower utility costs, decrease pollutants and create a more sustainable economic and energy future for Colorado’s Gunnison Valley.
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Good Magazine 13.75 x 10 7/8 trim size • .25" bleed Art due: 7/02/08 Circ. ??? Issue: Sept/Oct '08 #12 Specs: ?lpi PDF + color proof
The environment is the foundation we all stand on. But you can’t tell that from the way we’ve been treating the earth. Make sure your candidate’s actions on critical environmental legislation are consistent with your values. To learn more about the candidates’ records on environmental issues, visit votetheenvironment.org.
promoting better stewardship
vote the environment 2008
As a company of climbers, surfers and backcountry skiers, we wanted to connect our passion for the places we love with the power of the vote in November’s elections. The stakes were huge. We knew the elections would have a direct effect on many critical environmental issues at all levels of government. It was vital to encourage voters to think of those issues when they went to the polls, so we created the Vote the Environment campaign. Voting is the simplest form of direct action, and our message was simple: we asked people to register, get informed about the environmental records of the candidates and vote their environmental values. We circulated thousands of League of Conservation Voter scorecards, registered over 8,000 voters (with our partner HeadCount), raised over $19,000 with our VTE fundraising T-shirt, produced emails, ads, a video, essays, and built a Web site and a Facebook page. Leading up to Nov. 4th, we held events in our retail stores, and sent two Patagonia employees to work a VTE booth on Jack Johnson’s All at Once tour. We spread the VTE message to close to a million concertgoers.
Photo: Todd Korol
Good Magazine 1 Ad from Patagonia’s 36 6_2_08 copy.indd Process CyanProcess MagentaProcess YellowProcess Black
Vote the Environment campaign, which helped to register 8,000 new voters and raise $19,000.
We promoted Vote the Environment through our stores, wholesale accounts and Web site. We also partnered with more than 20 national magazines to secure free or co-op ad space to communicate the Vote the Environment message. Our efforts contributed to sweeping environmental victories at the local, state and federal levels. Yet, even after so much success at the polls, we still must continue to work to create the change we all believe in, in many daily ways and places. We still have to stop development that benefits only the developer, monitor the health of our local waters and raise the alarm when illegal pollution goes unchecked. We have to work for the rights of wild animals to live and migrate. We still have to fight to save the Arctic Refuge and defend Patagonia’s wild rivers. We’re in so much trouble now because we’ve tried to impose – for so many critical human activities – a large and dirty industrial model on a diverse, delicately balanced world. We can do better than that. And to learn how, we should look – not to our failing industrial model – but to that diverse and beautiful world.
© 2008 Patagonia, Inc.
6/22/09 7:37:29 AM
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social activism The battle to save our environment will never be won unless the public is informed and empowered to fight for a sustainable and just society. Until then, “Wise Use” groups will pursue their misinformation
1% for the Planet exists to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet.
As with many environmental issues facing us today, victories are often temporary in nature and demand constant vigilance. So SMCC continues its struggle. Its current campaign, the Sand Mountain Water Quality Initiative, is teaching the public the importance of clean rivers and streams. It also provides stream-monitoring training to public high school teachers, Boy Scouts and residents, and as a result, has changed resident’s attitudes about the long-term importance of protecting the environment.
Alliance for Sustainability
Since its founding in 1999, no new confined animal feeding operations have been built in Alabama. ag.auburn.edu/auxiliary/grassroots/smcc
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Brenda Ivey of Sand Mountain Concerned Citizens rallies for fresh air. SAND MOUNTAIN CONCERNED CITIzENS
Alice Ferguson Foundation Washington, DC www.fergusonfoundation.org AFF works to provide hands-on educational experiences that encourage connections between people, the natural environment and the cultural heritage of the Potomac River watershed, leading to personal environmental responsibility.
Minneapolis, MN www.afors.org Alliance for Sustainability dedicates itself to bringing about personal, organizational and planetary sustainability by supporting projects that are ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane.
Brighton, East Sussex, UK www.earthactivisttraining.org
San Rafael, CA www.habitatmedia.org
Carolina Climber’s Coalition dedicates itself to preserving the natural environment, promoting safe climbing practices and preserving climber’s access to areas in North and South Carolina.
Earth Activist Training uses permaculture to teach activists to transform their lives, communities, and political and economic systems.
Habitat Media produces media that examine the causes of environmental problems and inspire viewers, citizens and consumers to participate in efforts to promote better stewardship.
Boulder, CO www.conservationcenter.org
Atlanta, GA www.gavoters.com
Frisco, CO www.highcountryconservation.org
CRC seeks to empower its community to conserve natural resources using programs and services that enable individuals to turn conservation beliefs into action in their daily lives.
GCVEF works to involve Georgia’s conservation-minded citizens in environmental and natural resource policy decisions made at the state and local levels.
HCCC works to provide practical solutions to resource conservation, improving awareness and appreciation of our environment and assisting in its preservation.
Citizens Campaign Fund for the Environment
Goal One Coalition
Kenju No Kai
Eugene, OR www.goal1.org
Hachioji-shi, Tokyo Japan homepage2.nifty.com/kenju/
Citizens Campaign for the Environment works to build widespread citizen understanding and advocacy for policies and actions designed to manage and protect our natural resources and public health.
Goal One Coalition provides Oregonians with the necessary information, advocacy training and litigation support they need to become effective grassroots advocates for environmental protection, conservation, sustainability and community livability.
Kenju No Kai is working to save Mt. Takao from the construction of the Ken-O Expressway, which involves drilling two 10-mile tunnels through the heart of a mountain rich in flora and fauna.
CitySprouts
Green Map System
League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
Cambridge, MA www.citysprouts.org
New York, NY www.GreenMap.org
Washington, DC www.lcvef.org
CitySprouts works to develop, implement and maintain beautiful, resource-rich school gardens in collaboration with public school communities.
Green Map System promotes inclusive participation in sustainable community development worldwide using mapmaking as its medium.
Community Design Center of MN
Grist
LCV Education Fund seeks to strengthen the capacity of the environmental movement, to mobilize citizens as informed voters, and advocate for sound environmental policies at all levels of government.
California Food and Justice Coalition
St Paul, MN www.comdesignctrmn.org
Seattle, WA www.grist.org
Berkeley, CA www.cafoodjustice.org
Community Design Center helps to revitalize low/moderate income communities by providing technical assistance and conducting programs that enhance their physical, economic, social, ecological and spiritual well-being.
Grist is an online environmental magazine that provides authoritative reporting, analysis and practical tools to move a new generation to where green is second nature.
ing citizens in environmental campaigns. Total given in this category in fiscal year 2009: $291,925.
Eight years ago, our Patagonia Atlanta store became the first funder to respond to the Sand Mountain Concerned Citizens’ (SMCC) call to help. Born in controversy, SMCC has challenged the power of large-scale agribusiness to construct massive hog farms in rural communities across Alabama and other southeastern states. They have questioned the good-old-boy system of government that supports and protects the corporate culture that buys our legal system with campaign contributions and favors, and the wisdom of universities that support corporate actions at the expense of rural communities and the environment. SMCC has also educated the state media, other environmental organizations, and elected officials about the destructive impact of factory hog farms. Their efforts over the last nine years have stopped the industry in its tracks and deterred agribusiness from establishing any new industrial-sized factory hog farms in the state.
Raleigh, NC www.carolinaclimbers.org
High Country Conservation Center
committed to bringing about long-term, ecologically conscious, social and political change by engag-
Waitsfield, VT www.onepercentfortheplanet.org
Habitat Media
Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund
government officials who pander to special interests. We therefore support a wide variety of groups
1% for the Planet®
Earth Activist Training
Center for ReSource Conservation
campaigns, and our environmental laws will continue to be threatened by short-sighted politicians and
Spotlight * Sand Mountain Concerned Citizens
Carolina Climbers Coalition
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies Aspen, CO www.aspennature.org ACES works to inspire a life-long commitment to the earth by educating for environmental responsibility, conserving and restoring the balance of natural communities, and advancing the ethic the planet must be respected and nurtured.
Buckeye Forest Council Columbus, OH www.buckeyeforestcouncil.org BFC promotes preservation and low-impact recreation over resource extraction and logging in Ohio’s native forests using education, advocacy and organizing.
California Food and Justice Coalition promotes the basic human right to healthy food while advancing social, agricultural, environmental and economic justice for residents of California.
New Haven, CT www.citizenscampaign.org
Louisiana Environmental Action Network Baton Rouge, LA www.leanweb.org LEAN exists to change the balance of power and challenge the continued economic and ecological destruction that’s become institutionalized in Louisiana.
Taking Full Responsibility
Common Threads reCyCling Program “Sustainability” is the new buzzword in American business and, at a quickly increasing rate, corporations are striving to reduce their carbon emissions, use of toxic chemicals, and water and air pollution. These are all critically important in addressing the environmental downsides of manufacturing. But at Patagonia, we’re going a step further – working to accept full responsibility for the entire life cycle of our products. This means taking back Patagonia clothing and gear at the end of their useful life, and turning them into new products. As of fall 2009, 65% of our entire line (clothing, luggage and accessories included) will be recyclable, along with 80% of our apparel (clothing only). Thus far we’ve recycled six tons of garments and collected a total of 12 tons. This logo denotes garments that are recyclable through our Common Threads Recycling Program. TIM DAVIS
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Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Santa Barbara, CA www.ppsbvslo.org Planned Parenthood actively promotes family planning and responsible sexual behavior through high-quality, comprehensive, educational counseling, and medical and referral services.
Quiet Use Coalition Buena Vista, CO www.quietuse.org A grant this year to the Renewable Resources Coalition will help fund the fight against Pebble Mine. Bristol Bay, Alaska. BRIDGET BESAW
Missouri Prairie Foundation Columbia, MO www.moprairie.org
REEL Thing Productions
MPF works to halt the rapid decline of greater prairie chickens and the degradation and loss of grassland habitat throughout the state.
Telluride, CO www.reel-thing.com
Montanans for Quiet Recreation
REEL Thing Productions is an independent film company that uses the power of film to tell compelling, thought-provoking stories about critical environmental issues and matters of social justice.
Lima, MT www.quietrecreation.org MQR is dedicated to conserving and restoring landscapes for quiet, muscle-powered recreation by bringing balance and equity to recreational opportunities, eliminating conflict between users and making sure that a balance of opportunities are available for all.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America New York, NY www.plannedparenthood.org Planned Parenthood provides comprehensive reproductive and complementary health-care services, advocates on behalf of reproductive rights and access to services, offers educational programs and promotes research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care.
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QUC works to preserve, promote and create quiet-use areas and opportunities on public lands; assist land managers in preserving public recreational areas; and further the stewardship of public lands.
SOCIAL ACTIVISM
Resource Center Chicago, IL www.resourcecenterchicago.org The Resource Center is devoted to the economic and educational revitalization of city neighborhoods through recycling, urban gardening, composting and other programs that reclaim and reuse resources.
Round River Salt Lake City, UT www.roundriver.org Dedicated to conservation strategies that preserve and restore wild places, Red River’s efforts are anchored in the principles of conservation biology supported by field research and community planning.
Sand Mountain Concerned Citizens
The Ruckus Society
Ider, AL www.ag.auburn.edu/auxiliary/grassroots/smcc
Oakland, CA www.ruckus.org
SMCC works to halt the advancement of the corporate swine industry in populated rural areas of Alabama and surrounding states.
The Ruckus Society provides organizers and communities most impacted by injustice with the tools, training and the support needed to achieve sustainability and self-determination.
South Yuba River Citizens League Nevada City, CA www.yubariver.org SYRCL is committed to the protection, preservation and restoration of the entire Yuba watershed through education, organization, collaboration, litigation and legislation.
Sustainable Flatbush Brooklyn, NY www.sustainableflatbush.org Sustainable Flatbush organizes neighborhood residents around innovative energy practices, urban agriculture, waste reduction and public spaces for community building.
The C.R.E.W. Ojai, CA www.thecrew.org The C.R.E.W. is youth-job training and employment program that maintains trails and campgrounds, performs a wide variety of habitat restoration projects and provides fire-prevention services on public and private wildlands.
The Jane Goodall Institute Japan Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan www.jgi-japan.org JGI Japan works to make the world a better place by encouraging everybody to take actions everyday that benefit the environment and the society as a whole.
Trustees for Alaska Anchorage, AK www.trustees.org Trustees for Alaska is the only nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to providing legal counsel to protect and sustain Alaska’s natural environment.
Ventura Education Partnership Ventura, CA www.vep4vusd.org Ventura Education Partnership is a communitybased association that seeks to support and enrich education in the Ventura Unified School District through community partnerships.
West Coast Environmental Law Vancouver, BC Canada www.wcel.org Through legal advice, education and advocacy, West Coast provides citizens and organizations with the knowledge, tools and innovative solutions needed to protect BC’s environment and build sustainability locally, nationally and internationally.
the footprint chronicles
™
Keenly aware that everything we do as a business leaves its mark on the environment, we devised The Footprint Chronicles to better assess the impacts of our manufacturing and allow customers to track them. So far, we’ve examined 17 different Patagonia products from design through delivery, looking at energy use, waste, C02 emissions and distance traveled. You can view our efforts on an interactive mini-Web site at patagonia.com/footprint
Western Shoshone Defense Project Crescent Valley, NV www.wsdp.org Western Shoshone Defense Project seeks to affirm Newe jurisdiction over Newe Sogobia by protecting, preserving and restoring Newe rights and lands based on cultural and spiritual traditions.
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resource extraction
CLAIM-GV
Dogwood Initiative
Grass Valley, CA www.claim-gv.org
Victoria, BC Canada www.dogwoodinitiative.org
CLAIM-GV exists to inform residents of western Nevada County about plans to reopen the Idaho Maryland Mine Project, and actively supports sustainable growth with a 21st-century focus to provide jobs in its area.
Dogwood Initiative seeks to create sustainable, community-centered solutions for British Columbia’s lands and people by promoting collaboration among diverse constituencies to implement sustainable local control.
Coal River Mountain Watch
Driftwood Foundation Society
Whitesville, WV www.crmw.net
Smithers, BC Canada www.driftwoodfoundation.org
Coal River Mountain Watch seeks to stop the destruction of its communities and the environment by mountaintop removal mining, improve the quality of life in its area, and help to rebuild sustainable communities.
Driftwood Foundation Society exists to promote independent research into recreation and resource plans and promote informed public involvement in these decisions for the Bulkley Valley and northwestern British Columbia.
Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team
Community Awareness Network
Eastern Coal Region Roundtable
Beckley, WV www.accwt.org
Thompson Falls, MT 406-827-3062
Kingwood, WV www.easterncoal.org
ACCWT fights poverty and provides citizens with the assistance they need to make their own rural coal mining communities cleaner, healthier and safer places to live and work.
Community Awareness Network exists to educate and inform the residents of Sanders County about the Thompson River Cogen coal-fired generator.
ECRR serves mine-scarred Appalachian watersheds through training, capacity building and by providing a collective voice for underserved communities seeking to restore the well-being of citizens and the environment.
Most mines in the U.S. are established and operated under the grossly outdated regulations of the General Mining Act of 1872. The groups that follow are working to revise that law, stop the growth of resource extraction operations, clean up pollution created by industry, and develop new sources of energy to replace the environmentally damaging ones upon which we currently depend. Total given in this category in fiscal year 2009: $281,304.
Spotlight * Dogwood Initiative
Alaska Marine Conservation Council
Since its founding in 1998, Dogwood Initiative has established itself as one of the leading environmental groups in British Columbia. It works with and empowers local communities and First Nations to help them gain more control of the land and resources around them toward a goal of greater sustainability. This sounds simple, but to the corporate executives and bureaucrats who control most of BC’s public lands, community control and sustainable land reform is a ground-shaking idea. Still, a growing number of British Columbians are convinced that stronger local management is not only possible, but essential to the survival of communities.
Alaska Marine Conservation Council seeks to protect the health and diversity of Alaska’s marine ecosystems by working with coastal communities whose well-being depends on healthy oceans.
A key reason for Dogwood Initiative’s success is its ability to bring together stakeholders who traditionally have been unable to work together. Dogwood has a strong track record of working successfully with First Nations and local communities to facilitate and support lasting local grassroots organizing efforts. Dogwood’s current Coastal Oil Tanker Campaign seeks to establish broad public support for a legislated moratorium on tankers in BC’s Inside Passage. If it succeeds, it will protect vast sections of BC’s pristine land and waters, including parts of the Great Bear Rainforest, from oil tanker traffic, pipelines and the inevitable spills. dogwoodintiative.org
Anchorage, AK www.akmarine.org
Alaska Wilderness League
Appalachian Voices
Washington, DC www.alaskawild.org
Boone, NC www.AppalachianVoices.org
AWL leads the effort to preserve Alaska’s wilderness by engaging citizens, sharing resources, collaborating with other organizations, educating the public, and providing a courageous, constant and victorious voice for Alaska in the nation’s capital.
Appalachian Voices works to empower people to defend its region’s rich natural and cultural heritage by providing them with tools and strategies for successful grassroots campaigns.
Center for Environmental Equity
Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Environment
Portland, OR www.nevermined.org
Lewisburg, WV www.appalachian-center.org
CEE educates communities and national interests about the human health, fiscal and environmental effects of mineral mining.
ACEE is dedicated to protecting Appalachia’s communities by enforcing and strengthening environmental laws, and compelling polluting industries to internalize environmental costs.
Cook InletKeeper Homer, AK www.inletkeeper.org Cook InletKeeper combines advocacy, monitoring and education to protect Alaska’s Cook Inlet watershed and the life it sustains.
Dine’ CARE Durango, CO www.desert-rock-blog.com Dine’ CARE educates and advocates for environmental justice, works to protect and provide a voice for all life within the Four Sacred Mountains, promotes alternative uses of natural resources, and empowers local and regional community people to organize, speak out on issues that matter to them, and participate in nurturing a healthy environment.
Energy Minerals Law Center Durango, CO 970-375-9231 EMLC provides free legal services to communities, grassroots groups and Native American tribes fighting the impacts of energy and mineral development, and implements legal strategies that eliminate those impacts.
letters from the field
patagonia’s environmental grants council Helping to decide which environmental groups will receive a Patagonia grant is one of the most satisfying job assignments I’ve ever been given. As one of seven volunteer members of the Patagonia Environmental Grants Council, elected from different departments across the company, I read almost 200 grant proposals this year in the evenings and on weekends. It was an important and time-consuming commitment. My two-year term on the council began in May 2008 with a trip to Patagonia’s Tools for Grassroots Activists training near Lake Tahoe. There I had the opportunity to meet activists from all over North America working to protect wild places, endangered species and biodiversity. I attended the nonprofit skills trainings and learned a lot about the important role grassroots organizations play in the larger environmental movement. The grants council has met three times since then to determine which groups should receive grant money the company sets aside in its 1% earth tax. We hold our meetings at members’ homes, and they’re full of lively debate. People speak passionately about the issues they care about and the proposals they like.
Environmental Working Group
As a retail inventory manager, I help to generate sales that fund our environmental
Washington, DC www.ewg.org
The synergy makes my daily work more meaningful, giving me a greater sense of pur-
The Environmental Working Group uses the power of information to protect public health and the environment, with an emphasis on toxics and human health, sustainable agriculture, and natural resources.
programs. As a member of the grants council, I help to distribute some of that money. pose as I help Patagonia fulfill its mission to “use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” – Catherine Barnes, retail inventory manager Grants council volunteers deciding who gets what at a member’s home in Ventura, Calif. Tim Davis
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The iconic grizzly lends its name to the Great Bear Rainforest. Ian McAllister/Pacificwild.org
Hollyhock Leadership Institute
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
Save the Scenic Santa Ritas
Vermonters for a Clean Environment
Vancouver, BC Canada www.hollyhockleadership.org
Huntington, WV www.ohvec.org
Tucson, AZ www.scenicsantaritas.org
Danby, VT www.vce.org
Hollyhock Leadership Institute provides strategic support to organizations advocating for environmental and social change.
OVEC is dedicated to the improvement and preservation of the environment through grassroots organizing, public education, coalition building, leadership development, strategic litigation and media outreach.
SSSR is dedicated to preserving environmentally sensitive lands in southeastern Arizona from the degradation caused by mining and mineral exploration activities.
Believing that Vermont’s future lies in conserving its clean, rural, small-town environment, VCE works to encourage economic development with minimal environmental impacts and preserve Vermont’s natural beauty.
Indian Law Resource Center Helena, MT www.indianlaw.org ILRC seeks to overcome the devastating problems that threaten Native peoples by advancing the rule of law and establishing national and international legal standards that preserve their human rights and dignity.
Montana Environmental Information Center Helena, MT www.meic.org MEIC advocates for clean water and a healthy environment for all Montanans.
Northern Alaska Environmental Center Fairbanks, AK www.northern.org Northern Alaska Environmental Center promotes conservation of the environment in interior and Arctic Alaska through advocacy, education and sustainable resource stewardship.
Northern Plains Resource Council Billings, MT www.northernplains.org NPRC is committed to land stewardship, preserving family farms and giving Montana’s citizens an effective voice in decisions affecting their lives.
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resource extraction
Powder River Basin Resource Council Sheridan, WY www.powderriverbasin.org PRB works for the conservation of Wyoming’s land, minerals, water and clean air consistent with responsible use of these resources to sustain the livelihood of all generations and preserve and enrich the state’s agricultural heritage and rural lifestyle.
Renewable Resources Coalition Anchorage, AK www.renewableresourcescoalition.org Renewable Resources Coalition exists to protect Alaska’s fish and game resources, and the habitat upon which they depend, and engages the public on issues affecting these renewable resources.
Rock Creek Alliance Sandpoint, ID www.rockcreekalliance.org Rock Creek Alliance works to address the threats from hard-rock mining in northwestern Montana and the panhandle of Idaho.
Sierra Club of BC Victoria, BC Canada www.sierraclub.bc.ca Sierra Club BC exists to protect and restore the province’s rich tapestry of human health, species and ecosystems, by promoting innovative solutions, inspiring and engaging a broad network of grassroots, community-based support, and linking citizens and decision makers.
SkyTruth Shepherdstown, WV www.skytruth.org SkyTruth uses satellite images and other visual technologies to create compelling pictures that vividly illustrate environmental impacts, and provides these pictures and supporting data to environmental advocates, media, decision makers and the public.
SouthWings Asheville, NC www.southwings.org SouthWings provides skilled pilots and aerial education to enhance conservation efforts across the Southeast, to ensure clear air, healthy forests, clean waterways and sustainable communities.
Save Our Cumberland Mountains Resource Project
The Access Fund
Lake City, TN www.socm.org
Boulder, CO www.accessfund.org
SOCM works for environmental, economic and social justice through community organizing to tackle critical issues at the local and state levels.
The Access Fund is an advocacy organization dedicated to keeping U.S. climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment.
Western Slope Environmental Resource Council Paonia, CO www.wserc.org WSERC works to protect and enhance the natural environment and quality of life in Delta County and Colorado’s Western Slope.
Wyoming Outdoor Council Lander, WY www.wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org Wyoming Outdoor Council seeks to protect the abundant wildlife, unique wild places and valued environmental quality of Wyoming.
fairer labor practices At Patagonia, we are dedicated to making our clothing and nonapparel items in factories that observe fair labor practices. It’s a tough thing to ensure, given the nature of this business. In the past, we worked through third-party auditors who visited factories to identify shortcomings, then asked factory managers to provide a plan to correct them. But all too often when auditors revisited those factories, they’d see the same problems. Now, instead of just auditing and re-auditing factories, we’re becoming more involved in helping them to change their policies, procedures and mindsets through consulting and training. And we’re seeing some success. A year-anda-half ago, one of our long-term partners in Turkey, EgeDeniz, agreed to have their factory assessed through a third-party, sustainable compliance project. The factory was struggling with a number of issues, including wages, hours, freedom of association and health and safety. But to its credit, management committed itself to resolving them. Under the agreement, a consultant has been working with the factory to improve its operations, as manufacturing inefficiencies can contribute to workplace violations. A second consultant was brought in to train worker representatives and help build a system to address employee grievances. The feedback we’ve received from the consultants, factory managers and worker representatives has been quite positive. Factory managers are working to improve efficiency, worker representatives have spoken frankly with management about key issues, and management has been open to hearing workers’ grievances. It’s an ongoing process, but the factory is moving in the right direction. We do still audit some factories in our supply chain for a better understanding of workplace issues. But rather than just telling a factory to address those issues, we’re trying to help. It takes time, but we’re beginning to see real and lasting improvements in our factory in Turkey, and our goal is to see the same in all of our factories. patagonia.com/csr A seamstress at EgeDeniz repairing pockets. Courtesy of EgeDeniz
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THIS YEAR’S INTERNSHIPS: WALTER ALLEN (BUSINESS PROJECT MGR.), ARMENIA TREE PROJECT, ARMENIA, ERIC UNMACHT (CREATIVE SERVICES), INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE, SOUTH KOREA, SARAH SWEENY (CREATIVE SERVICES), BRAMBLE BAY WETLANDSKEEPERS, AUSTRALIA, MARK GRINSEL (WHOLESALE INVENTORY MGR.), CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR LAND CONSERVANCY, MICHIGAN, MICHELLE GRINSEL (CATALOG MERCHANDISE MGR.), CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR LAND CONSERVANCY, MICHIGAN, SALT LAKE CITY OUTLET, WASATCH COMMUNITY GARDENS, SALT LAKE CITY, ROBERTA PATTERSON (NYC–UWS STORE), OCEAN VIEW FOUNDATION, RHODE ISLAND, NICOLE BURGER (INTERNET FULFILLMENT), SUGAR PINE FOUNDATION, LAKE TAHOE, LISA EDWARDS (SANTA MONICA STORE), UTAH BACKCOUNTRY VOLUNTEERS, UTAH, MAIL ORDER DEPT., TRUCKEE DONNER LAND TRUST, CALIFORNIA, AKIRA TSUCHIYA (TOKYO-KANDA STORE), ASSOC. TO PROTECT THE NORTHERNMOST DUGONG, OKINAWA, LINDSEY JENSEN (DEALER SERVICES), SEA TURTLES FOREVER, COSTA RICA, SARAH JURAN GUTTENBERG (DILLON OUTLET), COMMUNITY CONSERVATION NETWORK, KAUAI, RYAN APPLEGATE (DILLON OUTLET), FREEDOM TO ROAM COALITION, YUKON TO YELLOWSTONE, DILLON OUTLET, BIG HOLE WATERSHED, MONTANA, SOHO STORE, THE RIVER PROJECT, NEW YORK CITY, NATE PAULSON (ST. PAUL STORE), LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, NYC, JAMIE YUENGER (NYC–UWS STORE), BROOKLYN GREENWAY INITIATIVE, NYC,
time and muscle
environmental internship program
After many years of giving money to activists, we realized that if we could share profits, we could also supply time and muscle. So in 1993 we created the Patagonia Employee Internship Program, through which employees can leave their jobs to work full-time for the environmental groups of their choice. Patagonia continues to pay their salaries and benefits while they’re gone, and environmental groups worldwide get them for free. To date, more than 750 employees have taken part in the program.
store helped Save the Sound clean up around Connecticut’s Saugatuck River, Freeport Outlet employees monitored water quality with Maine’s Friends of Casco Bay, and NYC SoHo employees worked to protect and restore the ecosystem of New York Harbor and the Hudson with The River Project. Elsewhere, Patagonia interns worked on projects in Armenia, Australia and South Korea, the Nevada wilderness, Yosemite National Park and Utah backcountry. They volunteered on behalf of plovers and dugongs, turtles and trees, bicycle transportation and voter registration.
This year, the internship committee artfully stretched its $70,000 budget to accommodate no fewer than 150 employees, who volunteered on both individual and group internships. Community agriculture received a lot of help, as employees from our Salt Lake City Outlet planted and harvested with Wasatch Community Gardens, Patagonia Chicago with City Farm, and Patagonia Pasadena with EarthWorks Community Farm. Rivers and bays also benefited: Employees from our Westport
The internship program provides employees with great opportunities and free service to environmental groups. It also benefits the larger Patagonia culture. Volunteers return with a powerful sense of purpose and accomplishment that inspires their colleagues and encourages other employees to work on behalf of the natural world. (left) Patagonia Dillon, Montana store employee Bucky Ballou identifies a hermit warbler during her internship with the Institute for Bird Populations at Yosemite National Park, Bucky Ballou (right) Bucky Ballou. Craig Ballou
FREEPORT OUTLET, FRIENDS OF CASCO BAY, MAINE, PASADENA STORE, EARTHWORKS COMMUNITY FARM, PASADENA, CHICAGO STORE, RESOURCE CENTER CITY FARM, CHICAGO, ELLE HUFTILL (MAIL ORDER), GRAND CANYON WOLF RECOVERY PROJECT, ARIZONA, WESTPORT STORE, SAVE THE SOUND, CONNECTICUT, ST. PAUL STORE, MISSISSIPPI RIVER FUND, MINNESOTA, MEGHAN SURAL (RENO OUTLET), FRIENDS OF NEVADA WILDERNESS, NEVADA, BUCKY BALLOU (DILLON OUTLET), INSTITUTE FOR BIRD POPULATIONS, CALIFORNIA, BRITTON MANN (NYC–UWS STORE), BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE, OREGON
toxics / nuclear
Matter of Trust
Snake River Alliance
San Francisco, CA www.matteroftrust.org
Boise, ID www.snakeriveralliance.org
Matter of Trust works to link ideas, spark action and materialize sustainable systems.
SRA uses research, education and community advocacy for peace and justice, the end to nuclear weapons, responsible solutions to nuclear waste and contamination, and sustainable alternatives to nuclear power.
One in four Americans lives within four miles of a Superfund site – uncontrolled or abandoned places containing some of the nation’s most toxic waste. Working to protect public health
Newtown Florist Club
and the varied environments of local communities, the groups in this category seek to hold
Gainesville, GA 770-718-1343
corporations and the government accountable. They work to clean up hazardous nuclear and toxic waste, while supporting positive policy changes to reduce and eliminate their use. Total given in this category in fiscal year 2009: $89,140.
Spotlight * Ohio Citizen Action
Beyond Nuclear at NPRI
FRAPNA
Takoma Park, MD www.beyondnuclear.org
Villeurbanne Cedex, RhÔne Alpes France www.frapna.org
For decades, neighbors of the Eramet manganese refinery in Marietta, Ohio, suffered from choking odors and wondered what, besides the smell, was coming their way every day. Eramet was the biggest polluter in the county and the second largest employer, so the neighbors knew they could not work alone to uncover the truth and seek justice.
Beyond Nuclear aims to educate and activate the public about the connections between nuclear power and nuclear weapons and the need to abandon both to safeguard our future.
FRAPNA promotes dialogue with local communities to safeguard the environment on regional and national levels.
They called Ohio Citizen Action to ask them to bring their Good Neighbor Campaign to this heavily industrialized corner of Ohio. Good Neighbor Campaigns engage companies directly about problems at their plants, and build working relationships with plant neighbors.
Center for Health, Environment and Justice
Working with the refinery’s neighbors, Ohio Citizen Action immediately published information about pollution and accidents at the plant. When they learned that Eramet operated similar facilities in Europe that produced a fraction of the pollution dumped on Marietta, Ohio Citizen Action members wrote more than 50,000 letters to Eramet decision-makers and the company’s second largest shareholder – the French government. Organizers even visited the French ambassador and the company’s Paris headquarters. At the group’s urging, the University of Cincinnati began a health study about the effects of manganese on children. Finally, the company came to the table. Once Eramet, Ohio Citizen Action and the neighbors were talking, things moved much more swiftly. On August 30, 2008 – just 29 months after the campaign began – the company announced in a full-page ad its plans to invest $150 million to upgrade the facility, improve environmental performance and significantly reduce or eliminate odors in the Marietta plant. ohiocitizen.org
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(left) Eramet manganese refinery. Marietta, Ohio. Mitch Casey/Marietta Times (right) Jackie Randell takes stream measurements in Yoho National Park, Alberta, Canada. andrew querner
Falls Church, VA www.chej.org CHEJ empowers people to build healthy communities with clean air and water, social justice, economic well-being, and democratic governance.
Colorado Citizens Campaign Denver, CO www.coloradocitizens.org CCC is a non-partisan citizens’ organization dedicated to informing and mobilizing Coloradoans to protect their quality of life, health, communities and environment.
Global Community Monitor El Cerrito, CA www.gcmonitor.org GCM trains and supports communities in the use of environmental monitoring tools to understand the impact of fossil-fuel industry pollution on their health and the environment.
Louisiana Bucket Brigade New Orleans, LA www.labucketbragade.org LBB is an environmental health and justice organization supporting the use of grassroots action in communities that border oil refineries.
Tama Ajisai No Kai
NFC seeks to bring about environmental justice for its community, which has been the target of unjust public policy decisions.
Nishi-Tama-gun, Japan www.011.upp.so-net.ne.jp/tamaaji/index.thml
NGO Platform on Shipbreaking
Tama Ajisai No Kai seeks to prevent pollution discharged from a huge waste disposal plant in Hinode, Tokyo, where garbage and trash generated by 4 million citizens is incinerated.
Brussels, Belgium www.shipbreakingplatform.org NGO Platform dedicates itself to ensuring the safe and environmentally sound dismantling of obsolete vessels worldwide.
Ohio Citizen Action Cincinnati, OH www.ohiocitizen.org OCA organizes good-neighbor campaigns that empower communities to demand accountability from polluting facilities in their neighborhoods.
letters from the field
VPIRG/VPIREF Montpelier, VT www.vpirg.org VPIRG/VPIREF works to promote and protect the health of Vermont’s people, environment and local economies by informing and mobilizing citizens statewide.
patagonia cardiff joins fight to save trestles As 2008 came to an end, we waited patiently for the Secretary of Commerce to make a decision. Would the voices of thousands of toll road opponents ring loud enough to stop a monster of sinuous concrete threatening California’s San Onofre State Park? Would the countless protests, meetings and petitions prove fruitful? Would “the man” in Washington understand the need to save our state beach for the sake of future generations? Here at the Patagonia Cardiff surf shop we stood firm, ready for battle. The surfing
Sanriku Miyagi No Umi Wo Hoshano Kara Mamoru Sendai No Kai Natori-shi, Miyagi-ken Japan hgf01360@nifty.com This organization seeks to protect the Sea of Sanriku and Miyagi from radioactive contamination.
community at large had come together behind a Surfrider Foundation campaign to put a stop to the Transportation Corridor Agency’s (TCA) proposed toll road. If completed, the road would run straight through San Onofre State Park, coming all too close to the world-class surf break, Trestles. We helped rally the troops with huge signs in our store windows, letter-writing campaigns, gatherings, and an in-store Save Trestles information table. Patagonia even supported a temporary closing of the shop so staff could attend the crucial hearings.
Sanriku No Umi Wo Hoshano Kara Mamoru Iwate No Kai
As momentum built behind the Surfrider campaign, we gathered friends and com-
Morioka-shi, Japan homepage3.com/gatayann/env.htm
and Department of Commerce hearings. Despite multiple appeals from the TCA, the
This group works to protect the Sanriku Sea.
was a huge victory for the surfing community.
munity members, who showed up in full force to both the state Coastal Commission Secretary of Commerce declared the toll road illegal under state and federal law. It
-Kaley Swift, Patagonia Cardiff Lower Trestles, one of the finest performance waves in Southern California. craig coppola
join the fight Patagonia’s role in the environmental movement is twofold: first, reducing our own impact; and second, supporting grassroots, environmental action. The people
1. apply for a grant
and projects you’ve read about in this book are all on
We like to support small, nonprofit, grassroots activist organizations with provocative, direct-action agendas that work on multipronged campaigns to preserve and protect the environment. We help groups working to protect local habitat, believing that individual battles on behalf of a specific stand of forest, stretch of river or indigenous wild species are the most effective in raising more complicated issues in the public mind – particularly those of biodiversity and ecosystem protection.
the frontlines, doing hands-on work that makes a difference. We are proud to help them in a variety of ways, from grant giving to employee internships to industry leadership around sustainability. If you are inspired by their stories, consider joining the fight. Focus on something you care about: a forest, stream or endangered species. Volunteer, donate your expertise, or dig into your pockets to support a group. Here are a few ways to connect with Patagonia’s activist network and resources:
An estimated 5,000 people attended a hearing of the California Coastal Commission to oppose a toll road project that threatened to destroy Trestles, a popular south coast beach. Del Mar, California. DEVON hOWARD
To find more information on our grants guidelines and apply through our online application system, please visit the appropriate Web site: United States: patagonia.com/grants • Europe: patagonia.com/euro/grants • Japan: patagonia.com/japan/grants
2. support a group Interested in finding out more about environmental actions in your area, volunteering your time or donating mon-ey? Visit our Web site to search our grants recipients database for groups working in your neck of the woods. patagonia.com/grants
3. visit patagonia to learn about local issues We try to open Patagonia stores in communities we can become part of. We hire knowledgeable and passionate employees who are not only committed to providing excellent customer service, but also to contributing to the community. Each store has its own environmental grants budget that provides financial support to local groups. Our stores also act as hubs for information on local issues, events and opportunities to become involved. Visit patagonia.com and click “Find Patagonia” to find one of our stores near you.
the conservation alliance Co-founded by Patagonia in 1989, The Conservation Alliance is a nonprofit organization that collects annual dues from companies in the outdoor industry and contributes those funds to environmental groups working to protect threatened wildlands. The alliance, which now boasts a membership of more than 165 companies, recognizes the power of collective business action in the effort to save our wild places. The Conservation Alliance enjoyed another successful year in 2008, notable for investing an all-time high $900,000 in 34 conservation projects throughout North America. In addition to making financial contributions, The Conservation Alliance helps its member companies become more active on conservation issues. In 2008, alliance members partnered with grantees to voice support for legislation to protect three million acres of public land and 1,000 miles of rivers throughout the U.S. In 2008, the alliance also launched www.ConservationNEXT.com, an online social network designed to give individuals opportunities to take action in support of envi-
Printed in the uSA on 100% recycled paper that contains 50% post-consumer waste. Š 2009 Patagonia inc.
ronmental campaigns. The site provides a medium through which organizations post action alerts and project updates to “NEXTers,� who maintain individual profiles on the site. Alliance staff also maintain a blog that provides regular updates on projects supported by alliance funding. Patagonia has raised its annual commitment to The Conservation Alliance to $100,000, which will enable the organization to fund a greater number of projects. Moving forward, we expect this work with our peers in the outdoor industry will continue to produce solid conservation results. For more information about The Conservation Alliance, including a list of member companies, grant recipients, and how to apply for funding, please visit conservationalliance.com. (back cover) Conservation Alliance funding is at work protecting wildlands throughout North America, including this landscape in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado. PAul RiChteR (cover) Pronghorn migrating to Grand teton National Park. upper Green River Basin, Wyoming. Joe RiiS