In episode 85 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting about all things grizzly bears and being bear-aware when recreating outside. I have a healthy fear of bears of all varieties, and I learned so much chatting with today’s guest whose expertise can help us enjoy time outside while respecting the places that bears call home.

Garrett Tovey is a wildlife biologist / educator / long-distance backpacker working to train educators in Glacier National Park and the surrounding Flathead National Forest. He has extensive experience working with and around grizzly bears and focuses on teaching park visitors how to remain safe while in bear country.

INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

VENMO: ⁠@OutdoorMinimalist

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Glacier Institute

Website: https://glacierinstitute.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlacierInstitute

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_glacier_institute/

Glacier NPS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glaciernps/

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EPISODE RESOURCES

Night of the Grizzlies by Jack Olsen: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1357414

Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance by Stephen Herrero: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/423975

Bear Spray: https://www.fieldandstream.com/outdoor-gear/best-bear-sprays/

Storing Food in Bear Country

Hiking in Bear Country

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Related Episodes

#21 Are We Loving the Land to Death?

#24 Identifying Your Needs: Adventure, Gear, and Safety

#64 The Environmental Impact of Wildfires

#65 The Biodiversity in Your Backyard

#73 Wild Horse Conservation: What's the Problem and How Can We Fix it?

In episode 84 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we explore the idea of taking ownership of your influence through action. Every single one of us, no matter our reach, has an influence within our community. So, how can we, as individuals, harness the power of our influence to take ownership of our lives and how we spend our time?

To explain how she did this in her own life, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sensi Graves.

Sensi is a professional kiteboarder, confidence expert, and women’s empowerment speaker. She’s also the founder of a sustainable swimwear line, Sensi Graves Swim. She helps people feel like they’re enough now by sharing the story of becoming a pro kiteboarder and starting a business before she believed she could. When not traveling for photoshoots or speaking gigs, Sensi runs women’s kiteboarding retreats and camps and mentors women on confidence and business. Her mission is to help people that look successful on the outside feel successful on the inside.

INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

VENMO: ⁠@OutdoorMinimalist

SENSI GRAVES

Website: https://www.sensigraves.com/

Sensi Graves Swim: https://sensigravesswim.com/

Strut Kiteboarding Camps: https://www.strutkiteboarding.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sensi-graves-93646337/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sensigraves

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensigraves/

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EPISODE RESOURCES

Climate Neutral: https://www.climateneutral.org/

Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard

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Related Episodes

#36 Building a Daily Outdoor Habit

#40 Becoming Minimalist: Downsizing for Life

#54 Why We Need Nature

#57 Max Your Inspiration, Not Your Impact

#76 Grow Where You Are

#81 How Do You Define Adventure?

#87 Using Minimalism to Reduce Stress

In episode 83 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with two individuals working together to create more equity in the workplace and answering the question: how are people a part of sustainability in the outdoor industry?

Respect Outside founders Gina McClard, J.D., and Jim Miller recognized the need for consulting and employee trainings designed for the kinds of bold and adventurous individuals who make their home in the outdoors industry, and so they endeavored to develop a curriculum based on a philosophy of respect and equity and in the workplace. #EquityThroughAction

Gina McClard has been on a mission to end sexual and gender-based violence for over three decades. As a licensed member of the Oregon (1997) and Illinois (1994) State Bar Associations, she has used her career to champion for the rights of women and underserved groups as a victim’s advocate, legislative consultant, and legal counsel in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. From her time at a research outpost in Antarctica to her founding of Red Earth Rising, a nonprofit providing critical resources and support services to women and girls in Ugandan refugee camps, her passion for justice and adventurous spirit have taken her down many paths less traveled. She brings with her an intimate and in-depth knowledge of the culture and legalities of sexual misconduct and violence, as well as decades of experience in how to mitigate and address misconduct in the workplace and beyond.

Jim is a graduate of California State University and a lifelong lover of the outdoors. His thirty-year career as a member of the outdoor recreation industry includes raft guiding for Mountain Travel-Sobek, marketing and retail training initiatives for brands such as Yakima Racks and Werner Paddles, ownership of a multi-unit retail specialty store, and consulting to manufacturers and retailers in the outdoor and action-sports areas. In his time in the industry, Jim has seen several game-changing initiatives implemented, which have driven outdoor companies to the forefront of social awareness and worklife culture. These industry values are what first attracted him, and it is these values which he seeks to advance by creating real change in the ways people of different genders relate and interact while at work.

INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

VENMO: ⁠⁠@OutdoorMinimalist

RESPECT OUTSIDE

WEBSITE: https://respectoutside.com/

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/respect-outside

INSTAGRAM: @respectoutside

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/respectoutside/

EMAIL: [email protected]

PHONE: 541 410 5576

Audio provided courtesy of Amy Buschatz, creator and host of the Humans Outside podcast.

The more time you spend outside, the more you might be thinking about doing what you can to make sure the thing you love so much -- nature -- is taken care of and around for others to enjoy, too. It’s a bummer to watch something you enjoy so much disappear or be carelessly shoved aside.

In this "best of" Humans Outside episode with Meg Carney, an outdoor minimalist, author and podcast host shares her tips for outdoor minimalism and it’s worth a listen.

Humans Outside: https://humansoutside.com/

More Episodes: https://humansoutside.com/podcasts/

Instagram: @humansoutside

Amy's Episode on the Outdoor Minimalist podcast: #36 Building a Daily Outdoor Habit

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INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In episode 82 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are talking about creating a more adaptive hiking space and other ways to make outdoor recreation more accessible for all. Every body, no matter the size, race, gender, class, or ability deserves a chance to experience the joys of being outside. But how can we make that happen for adventurers that have physical disabilities and limitations due to their wheelchairs?

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠

In episode 81 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Chris Christie about adventure, finding your passions, and what defines us as humans during every phase of our lives. I really enjoyed my conversation with Chris and his insights about building character and living life to ensure we have no regrets as we grow old.

After being an outdoor industry leader for over 30 years, Chris has decided to combine his passions for being outside and positively impacting this world. Enter 2023 and The Mill...a new social media platform that inspires people to live their adventures TODAY and empowers them to make it happen. To kick off the new platform, Chris is embarking on Character Walk 2023 and walking from North Carolina to Maine to raise money and awareness of seven amazing animal rescues along the route as part of the Character Giving program within the platform.

INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The Character Mill

Website: https://www.thecharactermill.com/the-mill/

Character Walk: https://www.thecharactermill.com/character-walk-2023/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecharactermill

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecharactermill/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecharactermill?lang=en

In episode 80 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are returning to the topic of product design. For this episode specifically, I had the pleasure of interviewing a product developer and entrepreneur in the outdoor industry that found she felt underrepresented when it came to gear, so she did something to change that.

Charlotte Young Bowens, the founder of Conscious Gear, is passionate about celebrating body diversity in the outdoors. So much so she has made it her mission to use a design aesthetic centered on taller, curvier, and bigger bodies to create outerwear and outdoor gear with input from the consumers, she hopes to serve.

A long-time outdoor enthusiast from Ann Arbor, Michigan, she currently resides in Tempe, Arizona, where she works at Arizona State University as the Administrative Director of an engineering research center. She loves music, art, writing, needlework, gear design, and being creative.

Growing her startup has taken up much of her time and has generated over $50,000 in non-dilutive capital through pitching events and participation in outdoor accelerators. The company will go to market with the world’s first ultralight hydration vest called VestaPak, designed by and for bigger bodies in the Summer of 2023. It’s true that she’s totally committed to the company, but she hopes to get back into doing her real love of ultramarathons, triathlons, and other CrossFit events in the not-so-distant future.

INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠

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Conscious Gear

Website: https://conscious-gear.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conscious.gear/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consciousgear1/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/consciousgear/

YouTube: @consciousgear

In episode 79 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss backpacking meals. We’ve discussed backcountry eating in terms of planning and low-waste efforts, but what goes into the manufacturing of pre-made backpacking meals?

As someone that only recently started to try backpacking meals, I had a lot of questions about sourcing, packaging materials, and the general carbon footprint of these convenient backcountry options. There are so many backpacking food companies out on the market today it is hard to know what will taste good and which companies are also considering their environmental impact while they craft their meals. For me, the best place to start was to sit down with the CEO, Duane Primozich, and one of the founders, Soraya Smith, of Backpacker’s Pantry, a pioneer company in the world of backpacking food.

With more than 20 years of natural food experience, Duane joined the Backpacker's Pantry team in the Fall of 2022 as CEO. Prior to joining American Outdoor Products (AOP), the parent company of Backpacker’s Pantry, Duane had a decades-long career founding, building, advising, and sitting on the Boards of more than 20 natural foods companies. He has been involved with Silk Soymilk, EPIC Provisions, Hope Foods, REBBL, High Brew Coffee, Bonafide Provisions, Bobo’s Oat Bars, and several others, while also having co-founded Pixie Mate, a Boulder-based Yerba Mate tea brand and two natural foods-focused investment funds. Duane is committed to furthering Backpacker’s Pantry’s commitment to sustainability, the environment, the preservation of wilderness, and sustainable food industry practices.

With over a decade of product and recipe development for Backpacker’s Pantry, Soraya Smith is a passionate advocate for the outdoors and food. Luckily, she gets to marry these two interests in her work. Soraya is President of the company’s Board of Directors, she is licensed through the Colorado Bar Association and is an accredited culinary professional. Her expertise in food innovation and passion for our planet’s sustainability guide her work in addressing sustainable supply chain, food insecurity, and outdoors access as personal goals.

INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠

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BACKPACKER'S PANTRY

Website: https://backpackerspantry.com/meghancarney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BackpackersPantry/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BackpackersPantry

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backpackerspantry

In episode 78 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we return to some of the 7Rs of Outdoor Minimalism: rehome and repurpose. If you’ve listened to some of the earliest episodes, then you may be familiar with them, but if you haven’t heard those episodes or read the book, 

The 7R's of Outdoor Minimalism include: 

So, in this episode, we are focusing on the 5th R: rehome/repurpose. These two are grouped because, by the time we get to the point in our gear’s life where it no longer serves us, we have a few choices: throw it away, recycle it, or repurpose it. However, sometimes, our gear is still fully functional by the time we are done using it, which is where rehoming comes into play. Both rehoming and repurposing aim to give the gear new life and divert it from the landfill. 

To help give us some perspective and new ideas on repurposing, I interviewed Martin Armitage. 

Martin has a lifetime of outdoor experiences, including over two decades as a Boy Scout Volunteer and a recipient of the WHITNEY YOUNG, JR. AWARD, the host of the globally popular podcast Papa Bear Hikes, Martin Armitage, has combined his love for the outdoors with his background in online education to create an inspirational and informative program with diverse guests sharing a variety of outdoor topics, from travel to outdoor adventures. Martin is also the author of Switching Gears: Rediscovering the Meaning of Life, Love, and Happiness While Backpacking Vermont’s Long Trail.

INSTAGRAM: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠

WEBSITE: ⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠

ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠

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MARTIN ARMITAGE

Podcast: https://www.papabearhikes.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057657090812

Instagram: @papabearhikes01

YouTube: @martinoutside

Book: Switching Gears

In episode 77 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we discuss eco-anxiety. If you’re someone that experiences anxiety regularly, then you may relate to this episode quite a lot. And while anxiety, in general, can come from a variety of places, eco-anxiety is defined as the “extreme worry about current and future harm to the environment caused by human activity and climate change.”

I am not a psychologist, and neither is my guest; however, we are individuals who have experienced eco-anxiety and adopted ways to manage it in our daily lives. Because of our first-hand experience, we felt comfortable diving into this topic and sharing how it has impacted our lives. The information shared is not meant to diagnose or eliminate anxiety for listeners. If you are struggling with anxiety or other mental health concerns, we recommend seeking guidance from a therapist or other mental health professional. 

With that, I’d like to introduce today’s guest: Margo Stoney. 

Margo is a Montana-based graphic designer and runs a design studio called High Mountain Creative. She helps conservation nonprofits and sustainable-minded brands increase their impact through visual storytelling. She’s a small business member of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and is a proud participant of the “Adopt-a-highway” litter pickup program in Montana. She’s collaborated with nonprofits like The Nature Conservancy, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and The National Forest Foundation.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/

WEBSITE: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist

ORDER THE BOOK: https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book

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HIGH MOUNTAIN CREATIVE

WEBSITE: https://www.highmountaincreative.com/

INSTAGRAM: @highmountaincreative

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/highmountaincreative

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mstoney/

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EPISODE RESOURCES

NPR Lifekit - A kid's guide to climate change (plus a printable comic)

NPR LifeKit - Climate change anxiety is real. Here's how you can manage those feelings

Good Good Good - Positive News & Hopeful Progress

How to Save a Planet Podcast

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MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Online Therapy Platforms: BetterHelp, Brightside, TalkSpace, ReGain

Online Tool to Calm Anxiety: https://www.smallsteps.org.nz/anxiety 

Other Tips for Managing Anxiety: https://positivepsychology.com/anxiety-tools/