Ben Quesnel

The outdoor industry isn’t small — it’s a $1.2 trillion global economy. And yet, in climate conversations, it’s often treated like a side note. The truth is most outdoor products are made from fossil fuel–based materials, and the production of those goods is deeply tied to the very systems driving the climate crisis. That’s not a “small percentage” issue — that’s a massive economy with massive influence. And influence matters. Outdoor brands don’t just sell gear — they shape the narratives about nature, adventure, and what it means to be “climate-conscious.” If those narratives normalize constant consumption, they’re reinforcing the very system we claim to be fighting against. This is why I believe these conversations are strongest when led by independent voices, not global retailers. Even brands with strong reputations for sustainability are still part of the same production system — and in some cases, their marketing unintentionally (or intentionally) greenwashes the impact of overproduction. We can’t buy our way out of the climate crisis. We can’t greenwash our way out either. At some point, the outdoor industry has to acknowledge that reality — because it’s impacting the outdoor community, outdoor jobs, and the wild places we claim to protect. It’s exactly why I’ve pitched this conversation to Outdoor Media Summit: a panel on how outdoor media can move past brand-driven talking points and tell the stories that actually protect the wild. #outdooreconomy #outdoormediasummit #independentmedia #climatetalks #circularity

11

3 Comments

Rethinking Waste via the 5Rs (Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle) SCA Foundation invites you to Rethink Waste through the 5Rs - redesign, reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle. Join two local Santa Barbara startups tackling different “Rs” with distinct approaches: FLO Materials will share how they’re redesigning performance plastics from the molecular level to be circular and recyclable, addressing high waste streams across consumer and industrial applications. Beni, an AI-powered startup making secondhand shopping as effortless as buying new, will explore how expanding access to secondhand clothing can drive reuse, enable repair, and ultimately reduce demand for new production. Come learn how circular design and smarter reuse can keep materials in circulation longer and waste out of the system. Featured Speakers: Kezi Cheng, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, FLO Materials Celine Lightfoot, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer, Beni   Event Details: February 19, 2026, 3:30 – 5:30 pm RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gD6Ta5Yz For more information on SCA, https://lnkd.in/gyFHhu5

12

1 Comment

#Scope 3 is where the real complexity lies and California is moving fast. Companies with global supply chains, especially those sourcing from Asia, need to start building their data infrastructure now rather than waiting for the final rules.

5

Meet Marine Layer… innovator of cozy + responsible apparel, and the Seeing Green Solutionist of the Day for November 17. New Podcast Episode Alert: Marine Layer in the spotlight (links in comments). Marine Layer has always stood out for its unmistakable style — vintage-inspired, California-casual and built around the idea that clothes should feel broken-in from day one. What began in 2009 as a mission to recreate a perfectly worn-in tee has grown into a full lifestyle brand with custom-developed fabrics, 45+ stores and a loyal community that loves comfort as much as character. Their mens and womens collections are anchored in soft textures, relaxed fits and weekend-easy staples that make everyday dressing feel effortless. But what makes Marine Layer a Seeing Green Solutionist is how consistently they weave responsibility into the business. They are steadily increasing their use of lower-impact materials including organic cotton, upcycled and recycled fibers, TENCEL and hemp. Their Re-Spun program has already diverted hundreds of thousands of pounds of textiles from landfill by inviting customers to return old clothes of any kind for recycling or resale. Packaging has shifted to recyclable paper and FSC-certified materials, and manufacturing partners participate in reputable third-party audits to ensure responsible conditions. Underscoring it all is their status as both a Public Benefit Corporation and a certified B Corp — a commitment to transparency, accountability and long-term stewardship across people and planet. Thank you to Michael Natenshon, Renee Lopes Halvorsen, Molly Getty and the entire Marine Layer team for all that you do! To learn more, check out the attached video as well as their moment in the Seeing Green Podcast spotlight – links in comments. About the Seeing Green Solutionist of the Day This series celebrates and highlights the brands and innovators dedicated to creating a greener, more sustainable world. Each day, the series shines a spotlight on a trailblazer making significant strides in promoting eco-friendly living through innovative products, solutions and practices. 

6

1 Comment

📣 Closing out our Top 25 Spotlight Series this year is Baerfell ❄️ This Vancouver startup is reimagining insulation for the outdoor industry—with a cleaner, greener twist. Instead of petroleum-based or animal-derived materials, Baerfell is developing high-performance, bio-based insulation made from agricultural fibres using green chemistry. The result: insulation that’s lighter, warmer, waterproof, washable, and free of plastics and PFAS. 🧪 What they’ve done: Baerfell has achieved a key technical breakthrough—creating a washable, plastic-free insulation. They’ve completed scaled production trials with a local manufacturing partner, validated the product with collaborators in apparel, outdoor gear, and cold-chain packaging, and even prototyped winter mitts with a local outerwear company. 💡 Why NVBC? To refine their business model, gain exposure, and connect with mentors, investors, and partners who share their vision for sustainable materials. 🚀 Up next: Scaling production, co-developing prototypes with strategic partners, and pursuing in-field testing and third-party certification to bring their insulation to market. 👇 Meet the team: Marc Massicotte (CEO & Co-Founder), and Feng Jiang (CTO & Co-Founder) 📌 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gRVze29d Ps. Stay tuned for our Top 10 Announcement coming early next week! 👀

14

1 Comment

🌿 Why Invest in Sustainable Market? Even if the US government is trying to cancel DEI and ESG's, the American consumers have the power in their spending to show that they care, and are doubling down more than ever! 📌 The Opportunity The sustainable products market is no longer a trend — it’s a generational shift. Consumers, corporations, and governments worldwide are embracing eco-conscious consumption, turning sustainability into a $400B+ global opportunity on track to exceed $700B by 2030. Early leaders in this space are poised for unicorn-level growth. Sustainable Market is uniquely positioned to ride this wave as a purpose-driven, technology-enabled platform for sustainable products that meet rising consumer demand and ESG mandates. 🌟 Invest in the Future By backing Sustainable Market, you're not just investing in a fast-scaling platform — you’re betting on the inevitable shift toward sustainable consumption, and helping build a category-defining company in one of the most future-proof markets on the planet. Let’s create profit with purpose. #ecoinnovation #impactinvesting #Sustainablemarket #ecofriendly #greenliving

5

Thrilled to announce the official launch of the LESS coalition - Retailers, manufacturers united to scale the decarbonization of the retail sector. 🌍 Yesterday in Paris, distributors, manufacturers and federations came together to start something unique: a collective, science-aligned effort to decarbonize retail at scale. The LESS (Low Emission Sustainable Sourcing) coalition — led by the Fédération du Commerce et de la Distribution and Perifem, la Fédération Technique du Commerce — brings together the major retailers and their suppliers around one shared platform: OpenClimat. For a simple reason: over 90% of retailers’ emissions sit in Scope 3. Decarbonization only works if retailers and manufacturers act together. This launch also lands at a symbolic moment: right as COP30 is taking place in Brazil and ten years after the Paris Agreement, the world is still far from the trajectory needed to limit warming to 1.5°C. The gap is huge — and it won’t be closed by fragmented action, but by coalitions capable of shifting entire industries. And that’s what LESS is about. - Auchan Retail, Carrefour, Coopérative U, Groupe Casino, Groupement Mousquetaires, E.Leclerc, Lagardère Travel Retail, Lidl and METRO France already share one platform for their carbon data exchanges with suppliers. - Manufacturers — from SMEs to global groups — are already part of the coalition, driven by the same urgency and the same willingness to move beyond fragmented approaches. At OpenClimat, we’re proud to enable and accelerate these collaborations — and fully aware of the responsibility it entails. This coalition already represents 100 Mt to decarbonize, which is why we will keep building with our members, retailers, manufacturers, federations and technical partners to enable even more exchange and collective action. A huge thank you to all our members - manufacturers and retailers -who help us shape since the very beginning, and to Christine Bourge and Giulia Basclet to have made possible this LESS coalition. The movement is launched. If you’re a manufacturer or retailer, join us.

133

9 Comments

🔥 Wildfires are getting more intense, and it's making reforestation in the Pacific Northwest a huge challenge, with added complexities. 🌲🌲 🌲 We are up to the challenge 🌲 🌲🌲 Our incredible team at American Forests has partnered with the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and Washington State Department of Natural Resources to release two new Reforestation Capacity Assessments. These first-of-their-kind reports provide a strategic look at the current reforestation landscape in the PNW, while also using future wildfire projections to estimate what's ahead. 🔥 The results are sobering: In fire-prone Eastern Washington, our assessments project an over 500% increase in reforestation needs; in Eastern Oregon, it is projected to increase over 400%, driven by high-severity wildfires by the 2060s. 🌍 This isn't a problem for tomorrow—it's a problem for today. We urgently need to scale the region's reforestation pipeline to meet this growing need. To better assess how to address this issue, we also surveyed and talked with nurseries and reforestation service providers on their capacity, challenges, and how to better support their efforts to reforest the landscape. Recommendations based on these responses are included in the reports. 🌲 To make the data accessible to everyone, we've also launched an interactive data story on The Future of Pacific Northwest Reforestation. You can explore the data yourself through interactive maps, projections of future needs, and tools that show needs by forest type. At the end of the data story, you will find links to our full reports for Washington and Oregon, as well as information on a PNW Reforestation Network we are working to get started. 🌲 This work is a critical step in building evidence-based strategies and strengthening the partnerships that will be essential for meeting the growing need for reforestation in the PNW. 🙌 And last but not least, I have to give a shout out to our amazing team that put forth an incredible effort to help us better strategize and plan for the future of our forests. Charlie Truettner Ryan McCarley Kenneth Davidson, PhD Elizabeth Pansing Kendall DeLyser Brian Morris, PhD Brian Kittler A. Isabella Akker Israel Golden Julia Twichell and our partners who helped bring this together - Collin Haffey Lori Bell Stephen Calkins Sam Steinshouer Amanda Taylor Mackenna Milosevich Joshua Halofsky John Walter Don Kaczmarek Ryan Gordon Daniel Donato Jeff DeGraan Theresa Keith and many others. Thank you all! 👉 Explore the data and download the full reports here: https://lnkd.in/g4NirzB6 #Forestry #Reforestation #Wildfire #PNW #Oregon #Washington

17