The Cleanest Line

Register to Vote Here – It’s National Voter Registration Day

by Andy Bernstein

Presidential elections are the most popular and least popular event in America. In 2008, 131 million Americans voted for President. That's three times as many people as watched the Oscar's. A full 90 percent of registered voters turned out and more than four out of five young registered voters cast a ballot in 2008, marking the largest total turnout in history.
 
But that leaves about 70 million eligible Americans who sat it out. Think everyone you know votes? Think again. Across the board, in every demographic, people choose to let others decide who should determine the future.
 
There are many reasons for this. When unregistered voters are asked why they aren't registered, about half say they just don't care (give them points for honesty). But that leaves over a huge swash of Americans who found the voter registration system too confusing or missed the deadlines and didn't register for that reason.

[Above: Jack Johnson breaks his no-social-media rule for National Voter Registration Day. http://bit.ly/registertovotejackjohnson]

Dirtbag Diaries: Stepping Stones

by Fitz & Becca Cahall

Jessie Stone has a resume that would make any dirtbag proud -- raft guide, pro whitewater kayaker and member of the US freestyle kayak team. At the end of that list is medical doctor. And the director of the Soft Power Health Clinic in Uganda. She is a career shape shifter. who followed her passions and ended up in an unexpected place. How do you know when it's time to step out of the current and follow an alternative path? Trevor Clark traveled to Uganda to tell Jessie's story.

Listen to "Stepping Stones"
(mp3 - right-click to download)

Visit dirtbagdiaries.com for links to download the music from "Stepping Stones" or to hear past episodes of the podcast. You can subscribe to the show via iTunes and RSS, or connect with the Dirtbag Diaries community on Facebook and Twitter.

[Graphic by Walker Cahall]

 

One Planet, One Vote – Patagonia Teams Up with Wilco, HeadCount and League of Conservation Voters

“The environment is where we live, where we work, and where we play,” said Dana Alston, a pioneer in the environmental movement. It is also, we think, any place you love.

Your special place might be Yosemite Valley. Or it might be the smallest pocket park in your neighborhood. The place you work might need cleaner air or more trees; the place you live might need better transportation.

We need leaders committed to the places we live, work, and play – and the places we love.
The “environment” is abstract, and, sometimes, at the polls, it’s ignored. During elections, the “environment” is cast in opposition to other needs, as if “the environment” were a luxury we could put aside.

But, the environment is not abstract: it’s where we live. It’s the air we breathe. It’s the water we drink. It’s the places we go to relax and refresh. It’s the beauty and diversity of our one planet Earth.

A healthy planet is necessary for a healthy business and Patagonia wants to be in business for a good long time. We want to act responsibly, live within our means, and leave behind not only a habitable planet but an Earth whose beauty and biodiversity are protected for our children and grandchildren.

That’s the reason Patagonia has a stake in this election. We plan to bring our deepest values with us into the voting booth in November and elect responsible leaders. We hope you’ll join us.

Ryan Montbleau Raises His Voice for Louisiana Wetlands

by Ryan Montbleau



As a New England boy through and through, I have to ask myself: what if over the last 80 years, Rhode Island had washed away into the sea and was now completely gone? That is essentially what has happened to Louisiana's coastal wetlands since the 1930s. Over 1,880 square miles of land have been lost during that time (an area significantly larger than Rhode Island), thanks in large part to the policies of human beings.

[Above: Musician and voice of the wetlands, Ryan Montbleau. Photo: Ryan Laurey]

Dirtbag Diaries: Origins

by Fitz & Becca Cahall

Editor's note: Hard to believe it's been five years since The Dirtbag Diaries was born onto the Internet. There have been so many good stories, so many inspiring people. Now, we can't imagine an Internet (or this blog) without them. Thank you Fitz and Becca for all your hard work. And thank you to the fans of the show for your passionate support. Here's Fitz and here's to five more years:

The Dirtbag Diaries turns five. This also happens to be our 100th episode. To celebrate the occasion, we reached out to our collaborators, our contributors and our friends and asked for ideas. I pitched them a bunch of ideas. They shook their heads. Their response was resounding. "We want to hear your story, the story of the Diaries," they said. Our intern, Austin Siadak, stepped forward to do the interview and relay the story. The tables were turned. By nature, we like our creation stories simple. An idea appears in the void.  A light bulb goes off. The apple hits Sir Isaac Newton on the head. In reality, creation stories are messier, more complicated and more interesting than abbreviated elevator pitches. They are a sum of parts. So here goes.

Listen to "Origins"
(mp3 - right-click to download)

Visit dirtbagdiaries.com for links to download the music from "Origins" or to hear past episodes of the podcast. You can subscribe to the show via iTunes and RSS, or connect with the Dirtbag Diaries community on Facebook and Twitter.

[Graphic by Walker Cahall]

Buy a Song, Benefit the Environment: New Benefit Tracks from Patagonia Music

Looking for some good music to enjoy over the long President’s Day weekend? Love supporting grassroots environmental groups? You're in luck! A bunch of new Benefit Tracks have been added to Patagonia Music:

• "AMEN (LIVE)" by Edens Edge benefits Urban Farming
• "THE WANDERING (ACOUSTIC)" by Ryan Bingham benefits Surfrider LA
• "DON'T GIVE UP (LIVE)" by Green River Ordinance benefits Urban Farming
• "TONIGHT" by Sugarland benefits Surfrider LA
• "ODETTA" by Joe Henry benefits Friends of the Los Angeles River
• "DJEGH ISHILAN (LIVE)" by Tinariwen benefits Nevada Wilderness Project
• "SLOW DOWN" by ¡MAYDAY! benefits ECOMB
• "OPEN THE ROADS" by Chuck Ragan benefits Gulf Restoration Network

Each one of these songs is exclusive to Patagonia Music -- you won't find them anywhere else -- and at least 60% of the proceeds will benefit the associated environmental group. Visit Benefit Tracks to preview these songs and more.

If you’re looking for a good mix to stream from your iPhone or computer, hit up the New Music Stream and launch the Patagonia Music Player, or download the free Patagonia Music app for your iPhone. Note: Patagonia Music is only available in the United States.

Have a great weekend everybody.

The Master's Apprentice - Yvon Chouinard on Climbing with Fred Beckey

In honor of the release of Fred Beckey's 100 Favorite North American Climbs from Patagonia Books, we assembled this short podcast. Have a listen and you'll hear Patagonia's founder, Yvon Chouinard, talking about his alpine apprenticeship with sensei Fred Beckey in 1961.

Listen to "The Master's Apprentice" by Yvon Chouinard
(mp3 - right-click to download)

This story first appeared in Alpinist 14, winter 2005. For more epic climbing stories, visit alpinist.com to subscribe to the magazine.

The featured music is William Elliott Whitmore performing his song "Hard Times" a Patagonia Music Benefit Track for Urban Farming and their mission to create an abundance of food for people in need by planting, supporting and encouraging the establishment of gardens on unused land and spaces. Head over to Patagonia Music to hear more podcasts and more benefit tracks for non-profit environmental groups.

Fred Beckey's 100 Favorite North American Climbs is available now from Patagonia.com and select book sellers. In the book, Fred offers up his characteristic mix of route tips, natural history and climbing lore for his 100 favorite climbs (with honorable mentions of a few more) -- it's the magnum opus of America's most prolific first ascensionist. Check out Patagonia Books for more titles.

 

HeadCount & Patagonia Music Interview Series: Guster & moe.

It’s a double-shot of music this Monday to get your week started. Today, we have two new videos from the Patagonia Music Collective and our partners at HeadCount. First up, Adam Gardner and Luke Reynolds from Guster talk about their benefit track “Satellite” and the special concert where it was recorded. “Satellite” is a Patagonia Music exclusive and the proceeds benefit Reverb’s work to help make concert tours, and concert goers, more environmentally conscious.

Next up, our friends from moe. – with whom we share a big passion – introduce and play their benefit track “One Life” at the special All Good Music Festival acoustic set that was made possible by Patagonia Music supporters like you. “One Life” is a Patagonia Music exclusive and the proceeds benefit the Rainforest Action Network’s critical work.

Hopefully you ran into HeadCount out on the festival circuit this summer. Their work will really start to heat up next year as they help register voters for the 2012 elections. Visit the HeadCount blog for great stories from the road and their passionate volunteer crew. For more interviews from HeadCount and the Patagonia Music Collective, check out our previous posts with Blitzen Trapper’s Eric Earley, and G. Love and Samantha Stollenwerck.

HeadCount & Patagonia Music Interview Series: G. Love and Samantha Stollenwerck

The Patagonia Music Interview Series continues thanks to our friends at HeadCount. This time, G. Love and Samantha Stollenwerck talk about their benefit track "Ooh Dee Ooh" and why they chose Surfrider Foundation as the beneficiary from the sales. If you missed it, check out the first interview with Blitzen Trapper’s Eric Earley.

"Ooh Dee Ooh" from G. Love and Samantha Stollenwerck is available now, exclusively through the Patagonia Music Collective and iTunes. Procceds from the sales of this song benefit the Surfrider Foundation and their mission to protect oceans, waves and beaches. Did we mention, it only costs 99 cents?

[With thanks to Greg Bitsky]

HeadCount & Patagonia Music Interview Series: Blitzen Trapper’s Eric Earley

For over seven years now, our friends at HeadCount have been registering voters and making civic participation an easy and fun part of the live music experience. They’ve also been helping us by introducing concert-goers to one of the simplest forms of activism: buy a song, benefit the environment. Today, we’re happy to present the first in a series of interviews with artists participating in the Patagonia Music Collective, appearing on both the Patagonia and HeadCount.org blogs. Here’s Headcount executive director, Andy Bernstein talking with Blitzen Trapper’s Eric Earley.

Blitzen Trapper’s roots-driven folk is a living breathing homage to the musical and cultural heritage of the United States. It’s no wonder then that they care about preserving natural resources and the American landscape. The band was one of the first to donate an exclusive track to the Patagonia Music Collective, with the proceeds from downloads going toward SOLV. We caught up with the band’s lead singer Eric Earley, to learn more about the benefit track, the charity, and the natural link between music and protecting the earth. [Eric Earley photo by Todd Roeth. Download "All the Stones" here.]

HeadCount: So tell me about the track you donated for the Patagonia Music Collective.

Eric: The song, “All The Stones,” it’s actually a pretty old one. I wrote that maybe 10 years ago. I was like 21 or something like that – maybe over 10 years ago. I never recorded it and I always liked it. So for the last record I recorded it, but I didn’t put it on the record. But I still like the recording a lot. I really love the song. It’s nice to put it out in some form.

Have you gotten a nice reaction from it?

Yeah, lots of people like it.