Activism: Northwest Hikers Join the Conversation

1/29/2017

Crater Lake National Park during 2016 wildfire season.

Many of us after reading the current headlines are starting to worry about the future of our wild spaces. As hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, we want to keep our wild spaces...wild. That means free of pollution, with minimal human interference. Recent events feel like a threat to our environment — and we can’t help but be worried.

We’ve never considered ourselves politically active. But with the fate of our environment called into question, we felt like we needed to get involved. We needed to uses our voices to help.

We asked ourselves over and over, “What can we do to help?” To find out, we spent some time gathering information, actionables, and a list of organizations working to protect our environment. Here’s our curated list of resources for those wondering what to do in these troubling times.

Stay Informed

With policy changes affecting the way the EPA, NASA, and the National Parks can share information with the public, “Rogue”, “Resistance”, and “Alternate” Twitter accounts have cropped up for many federal environmental and science-focused organizations. Anonymous employees in each of these organizations are taking their free time to share resources, facts, and updates with the public. In our times of “Alternate Facts” one of the most important things to do is to arm yourself with the truth. Here’s a collection of our favorite Twitter accounts:

No one should ever be afraid to speak the truth when the truth is established by peer-reviewed data (#Climatechange 97% of scientists)
— NOT ALT WORLD (@NotAltWorld) January 28, 2017

If (when?) the time comes that NASA has been instructed to cease tweeting/sharing info about science and climate change, we will inform you.
— Rogue NASA (@RogueNASA) January 26, 2017

"it is extremely likely that human activities have been the dominant cause of that [global] warming"https://t.co/2TET45pZqO
— altEPA (@altUSEPA) January 25, 2017

We hope you spent the day outside.. we did! #getOutside to #stayStrong and #resist the unimaginable nightmare unfolding before our eyes. ;(
— AltUSForestService (@AltForestServ) January 29, 2017

Take Action

Many environmental nonprofits offer information on how to reach out to the government and share your concerns. For example, the Nature Conservancy (environmental advocates working with the residents and industries neighboring wild spaces) offers petitions to add your voice:

Keep nature on the agenda - An easy to fill out virtual postcard that is sent to your Congressional Representatives and Senators. Tell them how important the environment is to you as a hiker.

Stand with Climate Action - A petition put together by the Nature Conservancy to advocate for worldwide reduction of carbon-impact.

Save the pika! Image: The Greening of Yellowstone

Learn about how climate change affects pika!

Rallies and Marches

Rally with Washington Trails Association. Check out this blog post to read more about WTA’s legislative priorities for the upcoming year and how you can help.

WTA is also hosting a Hiker Rally in Olympia on February 15. Check here for more details.

And if you don’t mind joining in one of the most crowded urban hikes you’ve ever taken, join the March for Science. A main march is being planned for D.C. but satellite marches are more than likely to pop up all over the country. Stay up to date on the plans by visiting their Facebook page or Twitter account.

And Don’t Forget the Beer!

If all this talk of advocating for the environment makes you thirsty, there are a couple places to grab a pint for a good cause.

Washington Wild’s Brewshed - The Brewshed Alliance knows that the most important ingredient in beer is clean water. Check out one of their Brewshed happy hours to find out more.

Beer Trumps Hate- Rooftop Brew Co. developed an IPA for a cause, and raised over $5,000 for the ACLU and Seattle’s Anti-Defamation League. They’re gearing up for another round soon!

There are many more resources, causes, and actions out there to learn about and discover. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by it all— see it as a positive thing. With so many open spaces, more voices will be heard.

But if it does start to feel like too much, or you’re just not sure your voice can make the impact you want, check out this article: How to #StayOutraged Without Losing Your Mind: Self-Care Lessons for the Resistance.

Want to connect with like-minded folks? Join the conversation with Political Northwest Hikers and Climbers.