OPINION: How Green is Your Gear? Not Very

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Lochan nan Cat - an inspiring outdoor image perhaps, but how sustainable is the kit that kept me warm shooting it?, 2 kbIn this series of environmental opinion pieces, Tomas Frydrych wrestles with some big questions. This time he examines the outdoor gear industry

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 C Witter 23 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Only had time to skim-read, but really thought-provoking - ta!

 Ben_Climber 23 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Interesting read.

I was shocked by the amount spent on 'Outdoor Recreation' and got me thinking what that title actually covers?

Are guns covered in that category? If so it is not so surprising that the US figures are so high.

It would be interesting to see the same graph for the UK.

 lucozade 23 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Thought-provoking article indeed. The environmental / social / job impacts on so many levels are so complex and this handles the picture really well, thanks!

Ben_Climber, interesting point. I found this link just about outdoor apparel (2011-2016) - https://www.fungglobalretailtech.com/research/deep-dive-outdoor-gear-growin... 

 gethin_allen 23 May 2018
In reply to Ben_Climber:

Outdoor recreation is a broad term and can cover everything from tree climbing to triathlon, it's no surprise to me that this is such a big spend. Hunting and fishing is included so this could include guns. And if you were to just buy one reasonable quality mountain bike and you've probably more than made your contribution to this statistic for a few years.

 Derek Ryden 23 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

A lot to think about here, but also a need for perspective.

1. I agree that the US figure is probably skewed by "Hook and Bullet" activities which would be much less significant in the UK. I suspect it is also skewed by "outdoor leisure wear" which includes a high proportion of the clothes which many people wear much of the time.

2. The drive to extreme lightness obviously suits manufacturers (we pay more, for less material, and it wears out faster). BUT, I am old enough to have started outdoor activities when wool was the main insulator, and cotton was a serious contender in the waterproof market. The joy and freedom of movement in modern kit is indescribable compared with the old days. We just have to fix broken stuff and resist the urge to have a different product for every sub-activity.

3. Yes, it's important to look at the environmental impact of outdoor activities, but separating these from the remainder of our lives introduces an artificial divide. The fuel we use going to work, or on family (non-outdoor) holidays will often be more significant than that connected with our hobby. Modern metropolitans are so removed from the real world that they imagine the planet will notice whether they use plastic or wooden stirrers in their coffee - let's not make that mistake.

4. Transport really is the big one here. The environmental impact of transport fuel use for outdoor recreation dwarfs all the other environmental impacts. I'm certain that the availability of cheap short-haul flights has increased the impact of outdoor activities far more than all the gear every produced. So if you insist on climbing abroad (and who doesn't?), go once for three weeks instead of three times for one week.

 

 Mike Shamash 23 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Thanks an interesting read - and will save me 00s! - I have been lusting after ultralight cams to save some weight.  I will now resist for now!

I do remember a few bits of kit that were nearly indestructible that are hard to find now

- ron hill trousers from the 1970s or 1980s - I still use a pair!

- the old style karimor canvas type climbing sacks  - I had one of these for 25+ years.  Wife recently needed a new sack - we could not find anything that fitted her/could be used for climbing and cragging AND had same kind of durability

- ultrafleece from mountain equipment - probably got 15 years regular use from it - wish I had got the zip repaired rather than trash it in the garden. 

 planetmarshall 23 May 2018
In reply to Ben_Climber:

> Are guns covered in that category? If so it is not so surprising that the US figures are so high.

Yes, but only in the context of hunting activities, so rifles and shotguns but not, presumably, handguns and assault weapons.

It also includes off-roading, so potentially expensive 4x4 vehicles are included.

The full report and the breakdown can be downloaded here - https://outdoorindustry.org/advocacy/

 

Post edited at 14:39
 cwarby 23 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Felt like a bit of a dig at Patagonia as they were the only company mentioned. No-one else makes gear??

1
 tradisrad 23 May 2018
In reply to cwarby:

My thinking exactly, seems especially strange given they are one of the most ethical companies around?

Post edited at 21:52
 john yates 23 May 2018
In reply to tradisrad:

Outdoor industry bigger than car sales? Err no. US car industry paid more in tax than outdoor industry earned. Just reads like sloppy polemic. Probs written on a lap top whose battery and semiconductors  made with rare earths ripped out of the earth in China with no concern for environment or workers and fed through servers that consume vast amounts of energy most of it made by fossil fuels. There’s s simple solution. Stop buying the shit. 

6
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

"Some place on the planet there is a messy hole from which came the oil, a noisy factory where that fabric was woven (probably by someone who could not afford to own one), a dirty bauxite mine for the aluminium poles and pegs"

That seems a rather extreme stance to take. Are we supposed to be weaving flax, and using stone tools? Oh, hang on, flint mining may be one of the earliest industrial activities.

In order to write such articles, you either have to use electronics (energy, precious metals, dubious ethics in tantalum mining, cheap labour, blah blah blah), or write with ink, on paper, all of which are industrial processes with potentially polluting side-effects.

As least nylon is a more valuable use of fossil hydrocarbons; better than simply burning it to drive to the outdoors.

Post edited at 22:39
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 LeeWood 23 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

I looked into that pdf - american outdoor report; p4 gives the breakdown of cats, and climbing doesn't get a mention ! Obviously we are in there somewhere - so how significant are we ? Has to be less than sports which are motor-powered, or e.g.. downhill ski which depends on lift systems 

After which as other comments propose - depends on the urge to be fashionable, in dress, gear and travel

 peterp 24 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

This is an interesting related article if folk haven't seen already: 

https://www.hcn.org/issues/50.8/recreation-your-stoke-wont-save-us 

 DanSharkey 24 May 2018
In reply to captain paranoia:

> In order to write such articles, you either have to use electronics (energy, precious metals, dubious ethics in tantalum mining, cheap labour, blah blah blah), or write with ink, on paper, all of which are industrial processes with potentially polluting side-effects.

Of course that's true, and is something that we should be aware of, but I don't think it's particularly helpful. This "what-about-ery" is a bit of a poor argument to make against the author's main point which was quite simple really: "Buy local, don't succumb to consumerism by buying things you don't need, and repair what you can before replacing it". I don't think anyone can really argue against that, and getting overly defensive over it and pointing out that everything has an environmental impact isn't really helping.

The fact is that resources on the earth are finite, and generally as westerners we're doing more damage than average. We can argue til we're blue in the face about who's doing more damage to the environment, or we can just actually try to do something to reduce our impact as much as we practically can, starting at home. The author isn't saying "Stop buying climbing gear" or "Stop taking climbing holidays to Tasmania", just that we should be mindful of what we're doing and think about ways to reduce our impact.

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Removed User 24 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Some pretty lazy thinking in this article frankly. The diatribe on gas canisters - why can't they be made to be refillable? I imagine because there would be some severe weight penalties in strengthening the canisters and additional complications with certifications for a start. I imagine if they are crushed flat and packed out they are fairly recyclable.

And where do you think the alcohol for your alcohol stove comes from? From the petroleum industries as the feedstock for methanol production is typically natural gas...

Post edited at 13:31
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 nikhoward 24 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles: great article, credit to the author 

 

 Ridge 24 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Interesting to compare the article with the UKC/UKH piece on the Arcteryx Atom vest, which appears to be a not very warm jacket with no sleeves for £120.

 Dr.S at work 24 May 2018
In reply to Removed User:

It is possible to buy biologically derived alcohol stove fuel

 

 PPP 24 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

One of the best articles I read on UKC.

Now I cannot buy another pair of hiking trousers I don't need, but want... 

 Jesus 24 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Great article. Can anyone recommend a good, light weight, alchol stove?

Post edited at 20:02
In reply to cwarby:

Such a hot topic at the moment especially with the younger generations becoming more aware of sustainability issues.

If you look at brands such as Patagonia and Haglofs (who are actually more heavily invested in sustainability than Patagonia) they are doing literally everything they can do reduce their footprints.

The treatments and fabrics are getting better and better every year and things such as a DWR treatment which, traditionally, needed heat and chemicals to make it stick are getting to the point where they don't need such aggressive manufacturing processes. Some products still need it but it's getting better.

I'm the first to admit that I don't shop with the environment in mind but then again I very rarely bin anything!! (secret hoarder)

Slightly rambly post but ye, the industry is getting better but it's hard to create these products without having an impact and most people are doing their bit to improve it. Bluesign, fariwear bla bla, It's all good stuff and really interesting to read about! some great bits about chemical use on the bluesign website and reading about fariwear improves lives in the warehouses in Asia and other manufacturing countries is very interesting.

 pavelk 25 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

In the other words, let´s go thrifty.

Poor eastern Europeans invented most of the writen long time ago. Hitch - hiking to mountains, refilling used gas cans, preparing food at home, endless reapirs of the equipment - that was absolutely normal 20 years ago and not unusual today.

I still prefer home made food and I still refill gas cans though I dont need to do it today. Just an old habit

rantia 25 May 2018
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

And sites such as UKC/UKH exacerbate this problem.

rantia 25 May 2018
In reply to Jesus:

It is easy to make your own by recycling soda/beer cans.

http://www.bikepacking.com/gear/hop-can-stoves-how-to-make-5-ultralight-bik...

or many other sites on the web.

Unfortunately UKC won't get any additional revenues from this!

 

rantia 25 May 2018
In reply to Dr.S at work:

> It is possible to buy biologically derived alcohol stove fuel

It is easy to make your own by recycling soda/beer cans.

http://www.bikepacking.com/gear/hop-can-stoves-how-to-make-5-ultralight-bik...

or many other sites on the web.

Unfortunately UKC won't get any additional revenues from this!

 SenzuBean 26 May 2018
In reply to Jesus:

> Great article. Can anyone recommend a good, light weight, alchol stove?

If you want a commercial product, the trail designs Ti-tri stove sets are extremely brilliant bits of kit. I've used one now for a few years (in the UK), and am very happy with it. The windshield / pot-stand is quite important, as it means all the heat is concentrated onto the pot, and you use possibly half as much fuel as if you didn't have a wind-shield. I use about 4-5 Tablespoons of fuel per meal generally.

Post edited at 02:25

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