One could say that my love for trees, or anything outdoors started from a young age. Whether I was climbing trees, making elaborate forts high up, hanging upside down from low branches or simply hiding from my brothers in a game of hide-and-seek, my appreciation for what grows outside has always been there.

This love translated into my later years when I took a job at a local farm in Maryland, where I tended to all of the plants in the nursery and all of the gardens on the property. Whether it was garden maintenance, planting new flowers, watering the annuals and perennials, or simply thinning the peach trees to foster new growth, I loved being in the sun and watching all of these things take root.

When kids grow up in an active home, they become active adults. When their parents embrace the outdoors, they will as well. Taken to extremes, the kids turn into fun-hogs. They live to play outdoors in many different ways. They plan their time around the need to “get after it”.

I have had the pleasure of watching our three children turn into such creatures. They all embraced skiing at an early age, with the youngest, Molly, on skis at 18 months old. All three learned the basics. They took lessons, then progressed to racing. The oldest, RJ, found the woods, park and pipe more to his liking. The girls raced through high school and beyond. All three eventually became instructors or coaches as young adults. As a coach and instructor for over 25 years, I was glad to see that some things resonated with them.

The last mention in Patagonia’s mission statement reads, “use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” In 1985 Patagonia started funding grassroots, action oriented environmental organization, through the creation of an environmental grant program. Since the program’s conception, the company has been able to award $89 million dollars in funding to it’s grantees. You can connect and learn more about all of Patagonia’s grantees on Patagonia Action Works.

As a locally owned and operated store, Patagonia Burlington is fortunate enough to collaborate with local action-oriented organizations. These groups are spearheading projects to implement positive change to our community and environment. Last year through Patagonia’s environmental grant program, Patagonia Burlington partnered with Burlington’s Intervale Center and their conservation nursery to create a grant proposal. The proposal focused on raising awareness within our community about the importance of riparian buffers for the health of our rivers, streams, and Lake Champlain. After being reviewed by the environmental grant board, the proposal was awarded $5,000 dollars in funding.

Riparian Buffer - An area of vegetation that borders a body of water, usually a river or lake, that helps to protect the water quality and ecosystem health from adjacent land uses.

It’s springtime in Vermont, that beautiful time of year where the snow finally melts, buds on the trees explode, the green grass perks up, and my favorite lilacs bushes are in bloom. Everywhere you go, the moment the sun comes out and the thermometer reaches 50 degrees, you see people out in their shorts, sandals, and smiles even if the breeze is chilly. This is also the time when folks get to put away their winter boots and dust off their running shoes in preparation for one of my favorite races of the year, the Vermont City Marathon, hosted right here in Burlington, Vermont.

On June 5th, 2014 Patagonia Burlington hosted its first ever in-store event for the release of the Patagonia film DamNation. The film chronicles the harmful environmental issues that dams create for our climate, ecosystems and communities. This spring, Patagonia has continued its stand against dirty dams in the new Farm League film Blue Heart.

Set in the Balkans, Blue Heart focuses on the massive number of proposed and under construction hydrodams and diversions on some of the last wild rivers in Europe. Currently, there are more than 3,000 projects in conversation, including work on Europe's largest undammed river, the Vjosa River in Albania. Blue Heart dives into the irreversible harm these projects would have on the surrounding environment, and tells the story of the women of Kruščica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are taking action to protect the only source of fresh water in their community.

On Thursday, May 10th Patagonia stores across the country will be hosting in-store screenings of Blue Heart. Local environmental grantee, Lake Champlain International will be joining our event to shed light on the threats Vermont’s waterways are currently facing. Event details can be found here.