Dear & Yonder has been released. Coming from the ladies that made up Villa Villa Cola productions in the early 90´s, a prescient female skateboard company turned into creative activists, working to inspire more “lady shredders” out there with female made zines and videos. Most notable is Getting Nowhere Faster, a skate video documenting the progress of female skaters.

Tiffany Campbell and Andria Lessler have since been shifting their attention to female surfing, and put together an impressive film documenting the history of female surfers, from top professionals to epic adventurers like Liz Clark who is sailing around the world looking for the best waves. A conscious film that takes you across the globe, showcasing women´s contributions to the culture: from Ashley Lloyd, board shaper using soy based Biofoam blanks, to Judith Sheridan (she bodysurfed Mavericks!) who explains how geological forces shaped San Francisco´s dramatic coastline, to Belinda Baggs sewing her own boardshorts in between sets. In addition to clips of women killing it on the waves; the film conveys a good sense of place, history, and encourages sustainable practices. This is one of those films that is going to break down perceived barriers and offer the viewer something meaningful to take home with them.

For a behind the scenes look at the making of the film, check out an interview with Surfing Magazine online

They are just now beginning to tour around the globe with the film, check out the TOUR DATES so you don´t miss out.

Photo by Prue Jeffries

The winner of Design21SDN´s Power To the Pedal Contest: The Pedal Power Pack, by Ben Decherd

This product combines elements of two very separate concepts to create a product which has multiple target group opportunities. Simply put, the product is a small power supply unit that recharges by attaching a bicycle.
Using design aspects of a stationary bike trainer and a portable power supply, the product offers consumers a way to power small everyday electronic devices during power outages.

The first possibility for use is in disaster relief. By offering a portable and renewable power source, families and communities can attempt to achieve some comfort in times of distress. A rugged and industrial look, as seen in this particular presentation, makes the device good for use in disaster zones.

The everyday consumer is another target group of this product. A less industrial look than used for the disaster relief version could allow this device to enter the home of the average consumer. A possible user could be the bike enthusiast who, instead of buying a traditional bike trainer, is attracted to the possibility of living a more sustainable life. Instead of wasting the exerted energy of indoor training rides, the consumer can get a return on the hard work. This device can save him or her money on electricity, offer a more eco-friendly lifestyle, and give users a better understanding of the true energy needed to power everyday electronics. The wide range of opportunities for this device and the simple steps need to use the product, would support its success in the market.
Quoted from Design21SDN

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Since reading Edward Abbey‘s fictional work for the first time in 1986, I have longed to see it come to life on the silver screen. It looks as if I my wish may soon be a reality. Slated for 2010 and with a cast of character names such as Richard Dreyfuss, Jack Nicholson, Matthew McConaughey, John Goodman and Elizabeth Shue.

For those that do not know the plot of this cult classic…here is a brief overview. The book’s four main characters are in some regards environmental misfits. There is George Hayduke (ex-green beret and Vietnam veteran), Bonnie Abzug (nurse), Seldom Seen Smith (Mormon river guide) and Doc Sarvis, M.D. The four run around the desert southwest destroying and sabotaging (“monkeywrenching”) construction equipment with their ultimate goal of bringing down the Glen Canyon Dam thus releasing the Colorado River to run wild.

If you have yet to be introduced to this literary classic…we urge you to do so before the movie comes out next year. Then, read his other works. You too will become a lifelong fan.

Image at top is t-shirt design from Dream Garden Press.

The American Lung Association‘s tenth annual State of the Air Report has released its list of cities with the Ozone and Particle Pollution being the 2 most widespread pollutants. These 2 pollutants can cause symptoms ranging from shortness of breath, asthma attacks, chest pain, heart attacks and even premature death.

Some of the facts include:
• 6 out of 10 Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution.
• 40.5 million Americans live in counties where the outdoor air failed all three tests.

The Bad News:

Top 10 Most Polluted Cities by Ozone:
#1 Los Angeles, CA
#2 Bakersfield, CA
#3 Visalia, CA
#4 Fresno, CA
#5 Houston, TX
#6 Sacramento, CA
#7 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
#8 Charlotte, NC—pictured at top
#9 Phoenix, AZ
#10 El Centro, CA
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Maybe the last descent of the Yangtze? Lead by Travis Winn, the trip included researchers and conservationists from China and abroad, all trying to figure out a way to protect this threatened resource.

Their mission is to figure out the fastest way to bring as much attention to these rivers as possible. To get people to rethink their value, to get people to understand individually and personally come to the conclusion that they´re worth protecting.

“At least 20 (new) reservoirs will be put into operation by 2020,” vice minister Hu Siyi was quoted as saying in a report on the Chinese Ministry´s website.

During the descent, they were able to see the start of some of the projects, fated to create huge resevoirs and eliminate the possibility of ever rafting the world´s third longest river.

Government reports in recent years have warned that the dam’s huge reservoir had trapped massive amounts of pollution dumped into the river system and that the reservoir’s weight on surrounding terrain was triggering landslides.

Travis Winn is also heading the China Rivers Project, an organization dedicated to saving rivers in China.

Check out this National Geographic Mission Programs video documenting what may have been the last descent of the Yangtze River.

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We opted to wait until after Earth Day to post this message as we knew everyone would be bombarded by environmental news, activities and programming all day long and we wanted to extend the environmental consciousness even longer.

Here are our Top 10 Tips (potentially 11) for making small, REALISTIC changes to your daily life that can help reduce your carbon footprint over the remainder of this year:

1. Change your light bulbs. As your current incandescent bulbs burn out, consider replacing with compact fluorescent bulbs.

2. Turn the water off while brushing your teeth. As a multi-tasker myself…I always apply the toothpaste, then moisten the toothbrush and go around the house doing other things while brushing. Therefore, I eliminate multiple gallons of water flowing down the drain.

3. Consider recycling. A lot of us already do this and curbside recycling has made this even easier. If you do not currently participate, consider picking one or two items this year to recycle.

4. Subscribe to a digital publication. A lot of publications are now producing digital counterparts to their print versions. Only 1 in 4 print copies at the newsstand actually make it into the hands of a consumer. Guess where the rest go?

5. I operate under the premise when making a purchase to purchase better and less often. It may cost a little more up front…but in the long run, you will get better products and have to purchase those products less often. And, when you are ready to upgrade again, consider passing that product onto someone else to increase its lifespan and reduce its potential to end up in a landfill prematurely.
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America’s Rivers Expedition

On Sunday April 4th 2009, Alexander Martin departed on his expedition to travel by canoe and foot 5,500 miles from Portland, OR to Portland, ME and the Atlantic Ocean in one seasonal year. The planned route lies entirely within the contiguous United States and traverses many of the country’s great and storied rivers as well as many hidden and wild places accessible only by water. All travel will be human powered, either by paddle or portage.

The 6,000 mile route will be attempted over a period of six months and will include over 2,000 miles paddled against the current, 3,500 miles with it, and over 600 miles of portaging. The route began on the incoming tide of the Pacific Ocean and follows the Columbia, Snake, Yellowstone, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers for much – and in most cases all – of their length, before joining Lake Erie, the Erie Canal, the Hudson River and a variety of smaller rivers and lakes to meet the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Presumpscot River. “I will withstand the snow and wind of the Cascades in April, battle the power of the Rocky Mountain freshet, cross the continental divide by portaging 100 miles through the Teton Range, and, depending on water levels and the most appropriate route, paddle through downtown Portland, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Albany as well as Yellowstone National Park, Teton National Park, fifty National Wildlife Refuges, four Wild and Scenic Rivers, and several National Recreational Areas, just to name a few,” says Martin.

If successful, this crossing will be the first of its kind. It will be the first west to east crossing of North America by canoe in a single year and the first crossing of the United States, at its widest point, by non-bicycle human power in a single year. “The achievement of these arbitrary distinctions is not the goal of this project,” explains Martin. “My goal is to explore my country and interact with my countrymen and women, raising awareness of river conservation and education efforts of organizations. I will invite the people I meet and those that have only heard or read about the project to pledge a penny or a dime or any amount they choose for each mile I paddle, and direct that money to the organizations whose life work is the protection of these rivers and the education of their importance to the next generation.”

Martins’ choice to travel across the United States by canoe is a deliberate one. “The connection people feel with their backyard, their local river or town is immense, and the canoe is a ubiquitous object in our country. Therefore the chance of connecting and inspiring people is much higher; they can envision themselves exploring the same places that I will be and in the same way,” said Martin. “I hope to inspire young Americans to get outside and explore their local wild places, and as a whole live a more active and healthy lifestyle.”

For updates and more information, please visit: http://www.americasriversexpedition.com/

I thought this kind of thing only happened in Japan, yet the bigger is better philosophy seems to prevail in America, especially when it comes to shopping malls.

Alas, a $2.3 Billion, 4.76 MILLION square foot project is underway west of New York City in the New Jersey Meadowlands.

Inroducing Meadowlands Xanadu, an ambitiously sprawling venture delayed until August 2009 due to lawsuits and the economy. Besides the millions of square feet of “entertainment” and retail operations, they are boasting the irst indoor ski park.

One commenter noted at nj.cm, “My ex-husband flew in from Florida and said, ‘That mall can be seen from space.’ While another described the complex: “Looks like bathroom tile from the 1970s.” Which makes sense since it´s named after the Olivia Newton-John movie involving roller-skating muses and disco.

Unfortunately, this monstrosity is not yet opened, and before you get to enjoy you´re first flourescent blue bird day, you´ll have settle for the great outdoors.

Papua New Guinea expedition discovers among more than 50 species previously unknown to science, including jumping spiders, striped gecko, and a frog with a “ringing song.”

Barrick Gold Corporation, the largest gold mining company in put the survey together in preparation for future mining projects. The discoveries will aid miners on how to balance protecting wildlife and forests with development needs of the people in Papua New Guinea’s Kaijende uplands, the group said in a statement.

According to Barrick´s website, between 2004-2007, they have received 13 “environmental awards” from sites across the globe, yet Corpwatch paints a more grim picture of their contributions to Papua New Guinea thus far, like the 5,600 acre open-pit complex called the Porgera gold mine in Enga, the highest and most rugged province in Papua. Will be interesting to see how the gld mine is going to facilitate the development needs for the people in the Kaijende uplands.
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President Obama signed the Ominibus Public Land Management Act into law on March 30 shortly after 3 PM Eastern. The bill protects three million acres of land, and 1000 miles of rivers throughout the US. Prior to signing, Obama said:

“It is fitting that we meet on a day like this. Winter’s hardships are slowly giving way to spring, and our thoughts naturally tend to turn to the outdoors. We emerge from the shelter offered by home and work, and we look around and we’re reminded that the most valuable things in this life are those things that we already possess. As Americans, we possess few blessings greater than the vast and varied landscapes that stretch the breadth of our continent…

This legislation guarantees that we will not take our forests, rivers, oceans, national parks, monuments, and wilderness areas for granted; but rather we will set them aside and guard their sanctity for everyone to share. That’s something all Americans can support.”

(This photo was taken by a friend who was at the signing ceremony).

By John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance

The House of Representatives voted on March 25 to pass the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. The final vote in the House was 285-140. The bill passed the Senate 77-21 last week. The lands package now goes to President Obama for his signature, possibly as early as next Monday. The President is expected to sign the bill.

The legislation protects two million acres of Wilderness and 1,000 miles of rivers, and prohibits new oil and gas development on 1.2 million acres in Wyoming. It also legislatively affirms the 26-million-acre National Landscape Conservation System.

“This is a major conservation victory that preserves wild places throughout the US forever,” said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance.

Every conservation provision included in the legislation started at the local level where grassroots organizations led the charge to build public support to protect a special landscape or waterway. The Conservation Alliance supported the local organizations that led the efforts behind 12 of the 16 Wilderness provisions included in the package. The Alliance also funded the groups leading the efforts behind protecting the Snake River Headwaters, and closing the Wyoming Range to new oil and gas development.

In total, The Conservation Alliance contributed more than $700,000 to ten different organizations whose good work eventually wound up in the package. Some of the grantees had more than one provision in the package. The Alliance also worked in close partnership with Outdoor Industry Association to demonstrate that the outdoor industry stood uniformly behind the provisions in this package.

“This is a big victory, and we did everything within the limits of our lean staff capacity and financial resources to ensure it crossed the finish line,” said Sterling.

By John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance

          Usually, you have to sacrifice weight and space for a synthetic bag, but the Sierra Designs Lazer +30 Deg bag packs down remarkably small and is uncommonly lightweight. This makes for a great combination for extended backpacking trips when there is a possibility that your bag might get wet. And still, you get the beauty of a synthetic bag: it´s soaking wet and you´re still able to find some warmth and get to sleep.

Some of it´s features:

Insulated with Primaloft Eco, which is basically recycled platic and soda bottles.
Partial flex, creates a more comfortable and efficient design.
Removable mattress guides to secure your mattress directly underneath you and making the zipper more snag-free.
The Lazer uses a half-zipper which apparently saves weight, a feature that might appeal more to ultralight backpackers, but I´ve come to appreciate the ability to fully unzip my bag on warmer nights. I have noticed the half zipper popping up on lots of sleeping bags these days.
Foot box zipper allows for you to let in a bit of extra ventilation, which helps make up for the half zipper.
Top and Bottom draft tubes help with insulation and work great

Sierra Designs also has great warranty service and has made some notable innovations to sleeping bags over the years, making them a top manufacturer of quality outdoor gear.

Summary: The Lazer +30 deg bag is great summer camping, traveling, or tropical destinations when you are expecting warmer nights. Being a synthetic bag, it is a good choice if you are rafing/kayaking, or in situations where your bag might get wet. Also great for tentless camping when the morning condensation will be heavy.