Volume 127, No. 27 Monday, September 18, 2017
NEWS
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
PEEPING TOM AT WESTFALL ARESSTED
ASCSU’S CLOSED-DOOR MEETING AGAINST THE LAW
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SPORTS
RAMS HOLD THEIR OWN PAGE 8
Q&A with founder of Patagonia By Randi Mattox @randi_mattox
Rob Novak, Colorado State University Warner College of Natural Resources Director of Communications welcomes the audience to the Wild and Scenic Film Festival on Sept. 15. PHOTO BY JACK STARKEBAUM COLLEGIAN
Wild and Scenic Film Festival highlights conservation with Yvon Chouinard By Casey Setash @caseylovesbirds
The Colorado State University and Fort Collins community gathered Friday evening for the third annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival. Hosted by the Larimer County Conservation Corps, this event featured nine environmentally-focused short films on topics ranging from the salmon run in Alaska to Navajo traditions at Canyon de Chelley National Monument. The event, held in the Lory
Student Center Theatre, was sold out several weeks in advance and was popular enough that scalpers scouted the front lobby and were eventually asked to leave by event staff. The largest draw for many attendees this year was the appearance of the enigmatic founder of the clothing brand Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard. Patagonia sponsored several of the films featured in the festival lineup, and Chouinard was invited to speak to the audience as well as join a panel of water experts for
PATAGONIA’S ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS ■ Donated all Black Friday sales in
2016 to environmental issues ■ Uses recycled polyester in all Synchilla fleece ■ In 1996, made the switch to all organic cotton products ■ Founded Patagonia Provisions, a food production company aimed at reducing environmental harm
a discussion on coldwater fisheries and conservation. Chouinard, a notoriously opinionated and ethereal figure, spoke candidly with the audience about climate change and his pessimistic attitude towards conservation. “You know, like all the climate change deniers and politicians say, I’m not a scientist,” Chouinard said. “But I’ve been around. I’ve been fishing for 70 years. So the talk I’m going to give tonight is pretty depressing. see FILM FESTIVAL on page 11 >>
Yvon Chouinard pioneered rock climbing in America and founded the popular outdoor clothing brand Patagonia, but his true legacy is his commitment to political and environmental activism. Chouinard is outspoken in a political climate that resists environmental consciousness, and he has donated upwards of a million dollars to environmental causes. On Friday evening, Chouinard led a talk about conservation at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival at Colorado State University. Before the festival, Chouinard sat down with The Rocky Mountain Collegian to discuss brand loyalty, politics and his hobbies. Collegian: If you walk around Colorado State University, you could easily find a hundred people wearing your clothing brand Patagonia. Why do you think your brand stands out in the college demographic among the REIs and the LL Beans? Chouinard: With the millennials, the environment is super, super important to them. They know we are screwing up the planet, and they want to do something about it as opposed to us who don’t want to do anything. They want to support companies that are trying to do the right thing. It’s pretty simple I think. Collegian: Fort Collins has a very high-cost of living. What advice would you give to the 22-year-old, recent college graduate who wants to work for a company with Corporate Social Responsibility but also has to pay the bills? Chouinard: We have that same problem in Ventura where see Q&A on page 11 >>