Protect Our Winters

Wildfires. A natural occurrence, with unnatural growth in size and frequency year over year due to climate change. It’s been a smoky July, especially in the West. With summers setting heat records, fuel for wildfires becomes more abundant. When vegetation is wet, it’s hard to ignite—as anyone who’s ever tried to light a soggy campfire can attest—but when it’s dry and fuel is abundant, fires burn hot and fast. “Fuel is our clearest signal of how climate change is creating more fire hazards. It’s the way our longer hotter summers build a house of cards for fire risk and then a trigger—like heat domes, lightning strikes or human ignition—knocks it down. That’s the difference between climate and weather. Climate is the set-up, weather is the knockdown.” - POW Science Alliance member Dr. Neil Lareau, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno. Read more about the relationship between climate change and wildfires with our blog “Blazing Summers” written by Creative Alliance member Heather Hansman and made possible by KEEN with the link below. https://lnkd.in/gYzsuEUw

Last week, POW Athlete Alliance Director and professional Alpinist Graham Zimmerman took the stage at Bloomberg Green Festival where he spoke alongside Paralympic skier and Racing to Zero Advisor Erin Latimer. “We need more people advocating and sports are an amazing way to do that ... something I encourage you to do. Think about the stories you have, ways that you are impacted . Utilize those to bring people into the tent - utilize that to bring people in the conversation and dive collective action around climate.” - Graham Zimmerman Having Graham on stage is an exciting sign of Protect Our Winters growing relevance and influence in the climate and outdoor space. Watch the whole talk below! https://lnkd.in/gqREd98B

2024 is on track to be one of the hottest years on record. Americans are cranking up the air conditioning and relying on swimming pools and ice-cold beverages to cool off, which ultimately increases their energy consumption. Residential energy consumption accounts for approximately 20% of the nation’s annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To combat this, one of the most impactful things you can do is make your home more energy efficient and switch to clean energy, like solar. Our friends and new partners at EnergySage are making electrifying homes across the U.S. easier. “Through our new partnership, POW’s community of athletes and enthusiasts has an easy path to take individual action on climate. By utilizing EnergySage’s tools, resources, and marketplace, they can better understand what they can do at home to protect the outdoor spaces they love to work and play in,” said Tess O’Brien, Vice President of Partnerships at EnergySage. The environmental impact of one home going solar is like planting a small forest, offsetting about 168 metric tons of carbon (based on an average system size of 11kW) over a 20-year span! Learn more about our partnership with EnergySage on our blog “Clean Energy Made Easy.” https://lnkd.in/gUGgB8rX

Footprints were discovered on some of the most remote beaches in Alaska. Artist, filmmaker, and POW Creative Alliance member Max Romey retraced his late grandmother’s sketchbooks and travels to Katmai, Alaska. There, he joined a group of marine debris experts and discovered that many people are making footprints on Katmai without ever visiting. Stay tuned for Max’s full film, ‘Footprints on Katmai’, premiering on July 24th in collaboration with KEEN on YouTube!

Welcome, Ryan! We are thrilled to announce Ryan Laemel as Protect Our Winters's Chief Operating Officer. Ryan joins us from Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), a globally recognized nonprofit focused on market-based solutions to the energy transition, as well as Third Derivative, an RMI-launched accelerator for climate-tech startups with nearly 200 companies in its portfolio. "We're excited to welcome Ryan Laemel as POW's first Chief Operating Officer," shared Erin Sprague, CEO at Protect Our Winters. "Ryan's entrepreneurial experience, decarbonization expertise, and human-centered leadership will be mission critical in growing POW's outdoor movement for climate impact."   Ryan's journey to POW is not just professional, but personal.  After a decade in climate and energy, he is thrilled to join the POW team. His passion for the outdoors as a climber, trail runner and skier, combined with his professional experience, makes him uniquely positioned to lead in this COO role. "While we're making strides on economics in the climate race, we must continue to progress on people, places, and politics," says Ryan. "POW is committed to rallying the outdoor community to support elected leaders who are climate champions, pass policies, and share stories to protect our planet."   POW is the outdoor movement for climate impact, led by the world's most inspirational athletes, scientists, creatives, and brands through training, advocacy, and narrative. We help the Outdoor State, the 168 million Americans who recreate outside, turn into advocates to protect the places and experiences they love from climate change.   As our new COO, Ryan will be pivotal in overseeing operations, financial planning, trainings, events, Athlete and Science Alliances, and Team POW, POW's member program. His leadership will be instrumental in driving our mission forward. Based in Basalt, CO, Ryan is a passionate outdoor advocate who embodies the spirit of our organization. Join us in welcoming Ryan!

Join us for a special online Lunch & Learn session on July 10th at 10am MST, hosted by POW Athlete Alliance skier Drew Petersen and keynote speaker Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH). Go in the weeds with us on the Energizing Our Communities Act (EOCA), which aims to unlock the 1400 GW of potential energy made available through the Inflation Reduction Act. The EOCA bill supports investing revenue from certain federal Department of Energy loan programs into communities, including tribal governments, that host critical transmission infrastructure. From inception to the introduction, learn how POW has led the way in ensuring our ability to scale clean energy rapidly. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gawnUTr6

💙 Our new documentary is here! 🌊 Dive into #ShapedbyWater to explore how the ocean intertwines with our daily lives and the world surrounding us - from the highest mountains to the darkest depths and every facet in between 🌎 #ShapedbyWater delves into this profound connection between humans and water in its different natural forms through the eyes of some of the world’s most inspiring outdoor athletes. 🎬 This film was produced by 11th Hour Racing and presented in collaboration with Protect Our Winters.

We LOVE when climb athletes engage in our work here at POW. It proves to us that our work goes beyond snow. Even, beyond outdoor sports. Clean air and clean water is a fundamental human right. Anyone can be advocates for those things. We are excited to announce some new athletes on our Climb Alliance – Emma Hunt, Nathan Monte, Cloe Coscoy, and Jesse Grupper. These athletes have big years ahead of them. Follow along. Photos: Jeremiah Watt

Last week, POW teamed up with Progression in Park City, Utah, to host a pitch event focused on clean energy innovation! Progression’s mission is to uncover innovative startups that align with materially advancing a non-profit’s core purpose. This year, POW took the spotlight as the featured nonprofit, and the event brought together cutting-edge climate change solutions and investors interested in funding their work. In collaboration with the Rocky Mountain Venture Capital Association, Progression scouted out the top startups, ultimately selecting six standout companies to present their game-changing ideas. Additionally, professional skier and POW Athlete Alliance member Amie Engerbretson delivered an inspiring keynote address, and an insightful panel discussion delved into the future of clean energy investing. Huge shoutout to POW staff and Alliance Members in attendance. The day was a whirlwind of innovation, inspiration, and impactful connections! Read more takeaways from the event: https://lnkd.in/gEujJfCF

Our 2nd Strava challenge of 2024 has officially begun. Come celebrate the solstice with us! ☀️🏃♂️❄️ From June 20th to July 10th, complete 400 minutes of activity (~20 min/day). Earn a brand new POW badge and a chance to win prizes from us some of our Brand Partners: Skullcandy Inc. DOMA Coffee Roasting Company Sanuk Join us to get moving and connect with your outdoor spaces. And.. don’t forget to press record. 😉 The challenge: https://bit.ly/3RsJLw5