The Brief #3: Action in Progress
Colleagues & friends,
We heard your feedback to make The Brief actually, well... a little more brief. Our video shares a singular lesson we learned last year. Enjoy!
Erik Lambert
CEO, Bonfire Collective
One Agency's Top Takeaway from 2024
This lesson is born out of agency life, but it’s applicable to any organization (or driven person) who’s constantly prioritizing time.?And, apparently we’re vibing with Seth Godin. The day after we shot this clip, Seth had something similar to say about “Organizing for Urgent.”
Hot Take
We’re Thinking All Wrong about Corporate Sustainability
The outdoor industry loves to paint itself as the vanguard of environmental stewardship. Patagonia runs full-page ads telling us not to buy their jackets. Ski resorts slap “carbon-neutral by 2030” pledges on their websites. Gear brands churn out press releases about their recycled fabrics and net-zero ambitions. It’s all noble, perhaps, but here’s the uncomfortable truth: This version of corporate sustainability is a smokescreen, and it’s failing.
We’re still playing by capitalism’s rules, and that’s the problem.
The outdoor industry profits from nature while simultaneously accelerating its destruction. The carbon footprint of a ski resort—snowmaking, diesel-guzzling groomers, energy-sucking lifts—is massive. The production of outdoor gear relies on extractive industries, shipping goods across the globe, and driving relentless consumerism. And yet, we convince ourselves that small, incremental changes—swapping out virgin polyester for recycled plastic bottles—are enough. They’re not.
Recently, we’ve been inspired by the work of Auden Schendler (Terrible Beauty) and Naomi Klein (This Changes Everything). Their thesis is basically that we need to stop pretending we can consume our way to sustainability. Corporate sustainability efforts must be honest and radical, not just good PR. And the outdoor industry has a huge opportunity to lead here.?
What would real sustainability look like? It means companies advocating for systemic climate policies, not just individual actions. It means ski resorts using their clout to push for carbon taxes, not just token tree-planting initiatives. It means gear brands designing products to last decades, not pushing new colors every season to keep sales high. It means rethinking the very model of endless growth that drives emissions ever higher.
Sustainability in the outdoor industry can’t just be about optics. It has to be about disruption. And until we’re willing to challenge the economic system that got us here in the first place, all the carbon offsets and corporate pledges in the world won’t save the places we claim to love.
Kudos to all the businesses and organizations that already make their voices heard on Capitol Hill. We’re looking at you The Conservation Alliance , Outdoor Recreation Roundtable , Outdoor Industry Association , Outdoor Alliance , and many more.
To everyone (including us at Bonfire): How can we step up our game?
Thoughts welcome in the comments below!
领英推荐
Action Center
Share A Powerful Example of Marketing in Action
If you’re in the outdoor industry and based in Colorado like we are, there are two must-attend state-sponsored conferences where our community gathers to discuss and advance critical topics. In the fall, OREC puts on the Colorado Outdoor Industry Leadership Summit (COILS). And this spring, after a dramatic hiatus, Colorado Parks & Wildlife is again hosting Partners in the Outdoors, which operates at the intersection of conservation, the outdoors, and how shared spaces can be best managed. In the last few months, our team has had the honor to be invited to speak at both.
This spring at Partners in the Outdoors, we are hosting a communications workshop that will help organizations better articulate their message so that they can improve policy, expand funding, and build movements for their causes.?
Do you have an example of a favorite brand, nonprofit, or other cause that “tossed out the tired playbook” to get their message across effectively? We’d love to hear about it. Share it with us here, and we may include it in our conference presentation.?
From the Inside
Well-Loved Winter Recipes From Our Team
When temps drop and snow starts to fall, it’s time to step into your skis... and turn on the oven! From heartwarming comfort foods to perfectly chilled treats, the Bonfire team collected a handful of our favorite winter recipes that will level up your next backcountry trip or post-powder day dinner. Bake this tried-and-true family recipe for Overnight Cinnamon Rolls, surprise and delight the crew with Hut Trip Ice Cream, and more!
Click here to see all of our team's favorite winter recipes.
Thank You!
Chuckwalla & Sáttítla Monuments
In the midst of digesting the chaos coming out of D.C. this week, let’s take a moment to celebrate a win! In our November edition of The Brief, we shared a handful of links to public land protection petitions — two of which were Chuckwalla and Sáttítla in California, which President Biden protected during his final days in office. His executive order protects more than 800,000 acres of lands that have cultural and ecological significance, and will be kept from development for future generations to enjoy. Thank you to everyone who signed petitions and helped spread the word across your networks. And to the tribes, coalition members, and legislators who put in countless time and effort to safeguard these incredible places and all the life that they represent. When you’re looking for it., there’s plenty of hope and causes worth fighting for.
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Graphic design. Branding. Creative strategy.
2 周Here's my two cents on your hot take ... I think businesses need to explore creative strategies that practice social activism WHILE STILL helping their businesses (and others) grow and thrive. For any strategy to have long term staying power, it NEEDS to directly help keep the business alive in some way or it won't last. BUT, I don't think this needs to be limited to hard and fast financial results. Building your brand, gaining new exposure and awareness, and reaching new audiences are all important too.