NY Update
Thursday, September 8th, 2011
Thank you for all the encouraging comments from the last post. I know some people say marriage doesn’t change the relationship much, but those words often come from people who aren’t yet married. I think it’s changed and it’s even better than I could have imagined. So, a quick update on NYC, Even with the gale force wind gusts, and the pouring rain, New York has treated us well again. Lydia (a small town girl who loves big gardens and lots of free space) has said that she didn’t think she would like it here, but the city has a certain charm, you can eat every different type of food from every different region of the world, and you can see every single walk of life along the way. It also seems that anybody who wants to be anybody in the entertainment industry, has to prove themselves here, so there is a major talent pool of artists, comedians, musicians and creators. It really is an exciting place to visit.
MoMa proves that anything is art if it’s placed in a white room.
The real reason I’m here however is to help patagonia promote the launch of their new Common Threads Initiative program. Partnering with the mega giant ebay, patagonia has created a first among retailers, a USED gear online store front. Basically, patagonia is going to piggy back the infrastructure that ebay has created to promote the buying and selling of used patagonia clothing. The idea is that they don’t want you to buy a new jacket, or sweater unless you absolutely have to. It’s one step closer for us as a society to start thinking more critically about what we purchase, where it comes from, how long it’s life span is, and ultimately where it ends up at the end of that life. Perhaps a landfill you can see from outer space? A recycling program that breaks down material and builds it into new clothing? Or maybe you hand it down to your son or daughter, or sell it to a perfectly decent stranger on line so that they can buy the best quality made product for their own adventures at a discounted price. Is patagonia losing sales by telling their customers not to buy new? Who knows, they certainly aren’t profiting a single penny from this new and visionary initiative, but it’s a small step in shifting our consumerism mentality, and that alone is a winning attitude. Yvon Chouinard once said that every time he tried to do something good for people and the environment, it was a successful venture. This, like patagonia as a whole, is simply an experiment, may it inspire us all.
On that note, they have asked me to donate a jacket. I thought about a jacket that meant something to me, a jacket that had a story, and so I chose to donate my favorite Down Sweater full zip with a hoody. Tommy Caldwell and I each brought one of these jackets up on our latest route on the Diamond Face on Mount Louie, in the Canadian Rockies. It’s called ‘The Shining’ and is one of my all time favorite first ascents, not only for the quality of the rock, or the aesthetics of the line, but for the experience that Tommy and I shared, through snow storms, hail, wind, fog and sun, it’s position alone will make it a classic climb for decades. If you’re in the market for a lightweight down sweater, check it out on the ebay site. Or navigate there from the patagonia home page. You’ll find lots of amazing used garments, some from legendary climber Rick Ridgeway, and others from bad asses like SLC’s Brittany Griffith. So get on with it already, click on the image below and begin surfing. It’s fun. Happy climbing.
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