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August 21, 2017

Good Karma Extra Credit? Text this Number to save these Parks.

Good Karma Extra Credit? Text this Number to save these Parks.

I just did so:

This isn’t about left or right. This is about America the Beautiful, about our future inheritance—and about preserving that future for our next generations. ~ Waylon Lewis, ed.

This is the first television ad Patagonia has ever run. If you use our public lands and want to see them remain public, please speak up. Text DEFEND to 52886 by August 24.

“…Some politicians on the right — including Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, Maine Gov. Paul LePage and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — are trying to repeal laws that safeguard ecologically vulnerable landscapes. They’re working to roll back protections on some of our most special wild places, including Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in my home state of Maine. And they are pushing to transfer ownership of federal lands to states…” …read the rest here.

Info via Patagonia (we normally don’t quote business Press Releases, but Patagonia is a uniquely mission-driven company looking out for our greater good: 

In Patagonia’s almost 45 years of doing business, they’ve never run a television advertisement. But with America’s public lands under unprecedented threat, Patagonia continues its legacy of advocating for the planet by bringing its voice to the airwaves.  

 

In a nearly $700k media buy, Patagonia has purchased statewide television and radio time in Secretary Zinke’s home state of Montana reminding him of what he said, “our greatest treasures are public lands.”  Additionally, Patagonia has purchased television and radio in Utah because Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments could be recommended to be rescinded, and Patagonia will be on the radio in Nevada where Gold Butte and Basin and Range National Monuments are also under threat. Patagonia intends to spread even more awareness by promoting the ad on social and digital media and it will be on the homepage of Patagonia’s website. 

 

To run its first-ever television ad, Patagonia chose this issue and this time because it is that important. Patagonia does not know of any other company currently running persuasion ads on television targeting the administration, and for Patagonia, this is an issue Patagonia has been advocating for since its founding.  

 

In a statement, Patagonia President and CEO Rose Marcario said, “The national monuments under review are a critical part of our national heritage and these lands belong not just to us, but to future generations.  We stand with the millions of Americans who spoke out in support of keeping protections in place for public lands.  We hope Secretary Zinke will remember his roots and his words and protect these ‘national treasures.’”

 

This is not about politics or partisanship – it’s about standing up for places that belong to future generations. Patagonia wants to raise awareness of history’s lesson that when public lands are turned over to states that can’t afford to maintain them, the result is the land is often auctioned off to private companies who irrevocably damage them and deny access to them for all of us. Whether you are a hunter or a hiker, an angler or a climber, Patagonia wants you to join them in this fight to ensure access and protection for our public lands. 

 

There is limited time before Secretary Zinke makes his August 24th decision on the remaining 21 national monuments and it is Patagonia’s hope that he will follow in the tradition of President Teddy Roosevelt and conserve our shared public lands for future generations. But no matter the outcome Patagonia won’t stop fighting to protect our public lands and Patagonia believes the voices of the people will be heard.

 

 

AD SCRIPT, READ BY PATAGONIA FOUNDER YVON CHOUINARD:

 

“I can be a pretty cynical guy. The one thing that really keeps me going are these wild places that are the real soul of this country.

 

A great part of my life I’ve been climbing and fishing and hunting on public lands. I’ve been a successful businessman because of the lessons I’ve learned in the outdoors. Our business is built on having wild places.

 

Public lands are under threat now more than ever because you have a few self-serving politicians who want to sell them off and make money. Behind the politicians are the energy companies and the big corporations that want to use up those national resources. It’s just greed – this belongs to us – this belongs to all of the people in America. It’s our heritage. I hope my kids and grandkids will have the same experiences that I had.

 

Our Secretary of the Interior Zinke has said he believes in public lands. Let’s hold him to it. Let’s let him not back down on that.”

 

The commercial ends with a call to action asking individuals to text “DEFEND” to 52886 by August 24th.

 

PATAGONIA’S EFFORTS TO PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS

 

Op-Eds:

January 11, 2017: Yvon Op-Ed:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/2017/1/10/bears-ears

 

February 23, 2017: Piece on Linked in By Rose:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fighting-public-lands-strong-economy-our-american-way-rose-marcario

 

March 9, 2017: Yvon Op-Ed in LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-chouinard-federal-lands-20170309-story.html

 

March 21, 2017 statement by Rose:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/2017/3/21/statement-from-rose-marcario-president-and-ceo-patagonia-inc

 

April 26, 2017: statement by Rose:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/2017/4/26/rose-marcario-statement-on-trump-national-monuments-executive-order

 

June 12, 2017: statement by Rose:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/2017/6/12/patagonias-president-and-ceo-rose-marcario-responds-to-secretary-zinkes-45-day-interim-report-on-bears-ears-national-monument

 

Press Releases & Industry Letters:

December 29, 2016:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/2016/12/28/patagonia-celebrates-president-obamas-designation-of-bears-ears-and-gold-butte-national-monuments

 

January 17, 2017: Open letter from the outdoor industry:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/2017/1/16/to-our-elected-officials-and-those-who-value-americas-great-outdoors

 

February 7, 2017:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/2017/2/6/patagonia-to-withdraw-from-outdoor-retailer-in-response-to-gov-herberts-decision-to-rescind-bears-ears-protection

 

March 7, 2017:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/this-is-bears-ears-national-monument

 

June 2, 2017: Open letter from business leaders:

http://www.patagoniaworks.com/press/2017/6/2/statement-from-patagonia-ceo-rose-marcario-on-trump-paris-climate-accord-decision

 

August 16, 2017 Letter from 350 business leaders

https://outdoorindustry.org/article/outdoor-businesses-national-monuments-keep-the-economy-and-our-industry-healthy/

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