ØUTDOORS 2.0: RE-IMAGINING THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY

Founded by outdoor enthusiasts to meet a need, many outdoor businesses came from humble beginnings. Yvon Chouinard founded Patagonia after teaching himself blacksmithing to make climbing pitons for himself and his friends that would leave no trace on the rocks he climbed. Doug Tompkins, founder of The North Face was a ski racer and rock climber. He created a brand that, at its origins, served the outdoor community, revolutionising tent design with the introduction of flexible rods threaded through exterior sleeves.
Outdoor sports started as subcultures. They were ours, they represented our identity, a space for self-expression. The companies founded had a purpose – to help us access the outdoors in ways that minimised our impact on the areas we explored.
GROWTH AT ALL COSTS
But times have changed. Companies now refer to climbers, hikers and skiers as consumers. Outdoor companies are owned by large multinationals or venture capitalist firms. The North Face, for example, is owned by the VF Corporation which also owns Eastpak, JanSport and Timberland.
Maximising profits in order to provide a financial return to shareholders is the main objective. Marketing practices tell us that without the latest or most technical gear, we’re not fulfilling our potential. Now, the industry reflects a story that is out of control, one of growth at all costs, that creates waste on an unimaginable scale whilst dispersing chemicals across the very places we love.
How has the outdoor industry arrived here when it was founded on the premise of enabling people to enjoy outdoor environments without damaging them?
TIME FOR CHANGE: ENTER ØUTDOORS 2.0
At Re-Action, we’re calling time on current practices. Øutdoors 2.0 re-imagines our relationship with the outdoors, an outdoors that is fit for both people and planet. It has a citizen-centric rather than consumer-centric approach. And the great thing is, it comes with a healthy dose of joy and optimism.
Across the Re-Action Collective, members have been collecting pre-loved gear. They repair it, resell it, rent it and repurpose it in a variety of creative ways. There are sharing platforms, talented seamstresses and seamsters, creatives, community groups and more, all working their magic to keep outdoor gear in action for longer. Together we’ve learned A LOT about circular solutions and the power of citizenING and community. From this we’ve started building a vision for Outdoors 2.0 – a version of the outdoor industry that’s human-sized and future-fit for all.
We’ve had a lot of fun immersing ourselves in this process, but the even better news is that you can get involved too. We’ve collected a bunch of ideas into statements that we’ve put into a voting platform called Pol.is.
PARTICIPATE!
This vision is founded on collective action which means we need your opinion and voice. We want to test and evolve Øutdoors 2.0 with your ideas too, because all of us are smarter than any one of us. We need a collective awakening to the situation at hand and your help to demonstrate what is possible.
To participate:
- Go to https://re-action-collective.org/outdoors-v2/
- Agree with, disagree with or pass on each statement as they pop up
- If you don’t see any statements that represent your view, add your own statement below
- SHARE the message below with your friends and contacts:
I’ve just contributed my views and ideas to a new vision for the outdoor industry. It only took a couple of minutes. I thought you might be interested to take part too. The more people that get involved the better. Together we can create an outdoors that flourishes, one full of joy and life that is accessible to all, and lasts for generations to come. Contribute your views and ideas to a new vision for the outdoor industry here.
Join the Rebellion