Issue No. 8: The ODR might be DOA ☠️
Hey Outsiders! Thanks for subscribing to Outsider Insider and opening up Issue No. 8. The Outdoor Rink might be Dead on Arrival. Our backyard rink looks more like a backyard swimming pool and we are left watching the NHL Stadium Series to get our fix of outdoor hockey.
In this week’s edition:
Outdoor hockey and its current situation
REI new store & new pledge
Electric sleds and boats
And more!
— Scott Crowder
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Skating is on THIN ICE! 🧊
Each winter, there is lots of talk about the role of climate change and warming winters on snow and alpine sports, this year you can add another causality to the conversation - outdoor skating.
The Washington Post reports the Great Lakes to have roughly 6% of its waters covered with frozen 💦 where historically that number this time of year is 41%. The lack of ice coverage has the ability to affect weather and has an ecological impact that is not yet fully known. What is known, is the lack of activities that rely on ice. Ice fishing for one, but also skating. In Ottawa, the longest natural skating path - Rideau Canal Skateway - has not opened and may not this year. In Vermont, a four-mile skating trail on Lake Morey had a late opening in early February and the owner believes the season will be cut in half this winter.
The individuals who enjoy these activities suffer but so do the economy and the way of life for the communities who have learned to embrace and support these cold winter pastimes. A group in the Adirondacks is working to connect research and data with climate change and its impact directly on people’s lives. Their stance - if people realize they are going to lose something that is special to them - for example, skating outside - they might be more likely to adopt a more sustainable way of living.
Do people care about outdoor skating? Look no further than the Pond Hockey Classic in NH. One of the largest outdoor pond hockey festivals in North America. This year’s tourney saw 275 teams and over 2200 participants take to the ice in record-setting temperatures and windchills. Watch this video but make sure your hot coffee is close. For the ultimate outdoor-hockey inspiration check out ODR Heaven on Instagram.
Maybe its time for Protect Our Winters to add outdoor skaters to its list of climate advocates!
Business, Industry & Economy:
State Offices of Outdoor Recreation have become the new cool kid in state government 😎 - if your state doesn’t have one - Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and some partners have put together a resource for states looking to join the club
⛷International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) athletes send a letter to FIS demanding the organization take steps to curb environmental impact after a warm ski season and canceled events.
Yeti adds new CFO 🤑
❄ Can someone please quantify the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show? Sure - 6,000+ attendees, 1,600+ retailers, 400+ exhibitors, from 50 states and 26 countries.
⛺️ KOA (Kampground of America) CEO speaks to tailwinds and headwinds hitting the industry during Canadian Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo
🌏 Environmental Sustainability Index which surveyed over 750 business, tech, and sustainability professionals shows optimism about climate goals.
Did the Dad shoe just help New Balance increase sales by 115% in 2022? Well, yes in addition to some big collaborations.
🍋 ATL-based hydration company Perfect Lemon nabs $36.8 million in their latest round of funding.
⚡️Ford temporarily suspends production of their Ford Lighting EV truck after a battery fire on the lot.
🦈 Retold Recycling - an upstart textile recycler - lands deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank
🎒Osprey Packs founder Mike Pfotenhauer joins Podcast How I Built This - to discuss…well how he built his company and eventually sold it to Helen of Troy Limited in 2021 for $414.7 million.
The newest State of Outdoor Recreation…Arkansas. Walton Family heirs, bike trails, and state support are pushing Arkansas into the mainstream for OR economy
BRP, Inc. announces its lineup of 2024 Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles which includes the first-ever ELECTRIC snowmobile 🛷
The #1 trend that has transformed the CPG Industry - “the unprecedented growth of the USDA organic seal.”
The Business Model Canvas is widely used for start-up positioning - here is what would it look like for an established business like Patagonia
🚤 Marine Industry is going electric - 🔌 All-electric watercraft including jet skis, ski boats, outboard motors, and cruising boats showcased at Miami Boat Show
📧 Whoops…Park City Mountain issued an email take back and an apology after an email was sent announcing staff cuts and hour reductions.
First the launch of Public Lands - now the acquisition of Moosejaw from Walmart - Dick’s Sporting Goods making full press into the outdoor space.
Health, Wellness, & Fitness:
Public spaces play a big role in public health & wellness - here are the best city parks, public squares, recreation trails, riverwalks, and urban paddle spots.
🌊 Surf Ready Fitness launches app and kit to keep you ready for the swell
😅 Nix Hydration helps you track 3 data points - Sweat rate, sweat composition, and trips to the bathroom - to optimize hydration
Personal care products like soaps, lotions, deodorants, hair products, and cosmetics might lack the personal care we expect. Researchers have found dangerous chemicals and ingredients commonly used in personal care products - time to check your labels and rethink what you slap on your skin
🧠 An experimental study finds that exercising in nature (even virtual nature) produces psychological benefits not experienced indoors or without virtual nature visuals.
🛌 Sleep could just be the most important aspect of your fitness routine that you are missing
💪 The results are in - new research finds Massachusetts to be the most fitness-obsessed state
🥦 Food is medicine - Albertsons launches mobile app “empowering customers to have a connected and personalized view of their health across food, nutrition, activity, mental well-being, and pharmacy services.”
Sustainability, Conservation & Environment:
🧪 Forever chemicals no more - REI announces plan to remove “forever chemicals” from its products by 2026, industry hopes others follow suit
A report by Evergreen Action Committee in partnership with the National Resource Defence Council lays out how the current US Administration can hit its goal to cut carbon emissions and reach 100% clean power by 2035.
If a full glass of ice water melts what happens - well the glass will overflow. New research shows “Doomsday Glacier” in Antarctica is not only melting but is teetering on the edge of breaking apart - the only outcome of this is a drastic rise in sea levels.
📦 Amazon isn’t usually what comes to mind in the sustainability realm however the company announced this week a record in renewable energy purchases to reduce their carbon emissions. They also are supporting seaweed farming between wind turbines in the North Sea, which is a proven method for curbing carbon.
🍷 Winemakers team up to plant over 1M trees 🌲 to help with flood control and sustainability in Napa Valley
The war in Ukraine has global impacts and conservation research has not escaped its reach according to research from a study published in Frontiers in Conservation Science.
👨🌾 Over 6 million acres - or 74% of the planted cotton crop were abandoned by Texas farmers in 2022 due to heat and parched soil. The lack of crop harvested has increased the price of common items such as cotton balls, cloth diapers, and tampons.
Circular Economy is still a ways off…okay a long way off - over 90% of what is produced and consumed does not reenter the production cycles further contributing to pollution and the climate crisis. A recent report from Circularity Gap Report says only 8.6% of the world's economy is circular 🤯
🌱 A team of scientists from the UK and Ireland has released a study that shows that people who watch nature documentaries, specifically plant documentaries become more interested in plants and have a greater awareness of the risks plants face.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:
🤝 Together Outdoor Coalition led a panel at the 2022 America Outdoors Conference & Outfitter providing insight on how underrepresented people can build trust and position themselves to land a job in the Outdoor Industry
💵 Hitting the slopes can be expensive - Decathlon Sports is working to lower the financial barrier by making good on their slogan to “Make sports accessible for all”
Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality:
Did we just become best friends? #vanlife 🤝 #skilife - these ski resorts have a parking spot for more than just your car - 🚐
🐘 The (very) complex history of safari tourism and conservation
An increase in nightly rate of 36% has contributed to Airbnb recording over $2 billion in revenue in 2022. In 2022, the company also rolled out upfront pricing, a platform redesign, and Airbnb categories helping the company top 6.6 million listings.
Utah's record 11.2 million national parks visits and 11.6 million state parks visits helped propel Utah's tourism to a record-setting $10.56 billion in spending,
🥾 The Appalachian Trail is no joke - here are 3 ways this future hiker is preparing for the trek
Gear:
🩳 Livsn launches short pants - or shorts for short.
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