国产吃瓜黑料 has been covering the outdoors for decades, and it鈥檚 no secret that we care about our public lands. We hope they鈥檒l be preserved and will remain open to the recreationists of future generations. That sentiment is widely shared by the . Last year, the industry decided it was time to act in accordance with its values.
Patagonia was the first brand to speak out, announcing it would no longer attend the biannual if it remained in Utah, a state whose elected officials are at the forefront of an effort to transfer public land management from the federal government to the states, which many believe will result in these lands being auctioned for development. It was also Utah politicians who pushed President Trump late last year to drastically cut the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. After Patagonia pulled support for Salt Lake City, other brands followed suit, and eventually the trade show relocated.
This month, Outdoor Retailer will hold its first show (January 25 to 28) in its new Denver home. To celebrate a future of ongoing advocacy, members of the outdoor industry will gather with members of Colorado鈥檚 environmental community, from the to , at an event called . We at 国产吃瓜黑料 think it鈥檚 crucial that these types of conversations continue to happen, and that鈥檚 why we鈥檝e decided to support聽the event.
鈥淎s the move from Utah demonstrated, the public land conservation community and outdoor industry have a lot in common,鈥 says Scott Miller of the , which is also sponsoring the event. 鈥淎nd that is fighting to protect our lands and address climate change. Night Zero is to welcome the outdoor industry to Colorado and get people together under the same roof to talk about these important issues.鈥
Night Zero is an opportunity to network and learn from speakers who run the gamut from political leaders to athletes. Guests will hear from Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper; Len Necefer of ; polar explorer Eric Larsen, professional athlete and environmental activist Caroline Gleich; Luis Benitez, director of ; and Peter Metcalf, founder of Black Diamond.
鈥淭hey鈥檒l focus on how they鈥檝e been able to protect the places we recreate through their position and work, and why it鈥檚 so important for the industry and conservation community to come together to protect our public lands and tackle the issues that threaten them, like climate change,鈥 says Kim Stevens, public lands outreach coordinator at the Wilderness Society. 鈥淣ow is the time to be sure that public land protection continues to be part of the conversation and to set the stage that shows environmental policy, conservation, and outdoor recreation go hand in hand.鈥
Night Zero will be held on January 24, the night before Outdoor Retailer officially begins, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 pm., at the McNichols Building (144 West Colfax Avenue). Speakers will start at 8:15 p.m. The event is not open to the public due to limited space, but anyone who is attending Outdoor Retailer is welcome to join. We鈥檒l also be posting a recap of the event.