In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I’m joined by sustainability expert, author, and speaker Bob Willard, one of the world’s leading voices on making the business case for sustainability.

Bob shares his journey from the corporate world into sustainability leadership and unpacks key insights from his book, The Sustainability Advantage. We dive into how sustainability drives real business value—from reducing operating expenses and attracting and retaining top talent to what may be the most overlooked benefit of all: risk avoidance.

We also explore how brands can use cost–benefit analysis to evaluate sustainability projects, and Bob walks through his open-source tools, including the Basic Sustainability Assessment Tool, Advanced Sustainability Assessment Tool, the Future-Fit Business Benchmark, and the role of B Corps, where Bob serves as an advisor.

Along the way, we swap sustainability success stories, discuss the most underestimated advantages of sustainability, why sustainability feels so overwhelming for so many businesses, and—importantly—what gives Bob hope for the future.

If you’re a fishing or outdoor brand trying to cut through the noise, reduce risk, and build a stronger, more resilient business, this conversation will give you clarity, confidence, and practical next steps.

This episode is brought you you by: A New Earth Project, the sustainability initiative of Atlantic Packaging, Emerger Strategies, and Ecolytics (don't forget to mention The Sustainable Angler for a discount on your first year's subscription of Ecolytics!).

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For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this special crossover episode, we dive into some of the most essential—and urgent—topics facing our coasts and our communities. We kick things off with climate change and ocean acidification before breaking down what nature-based solutions really are, including real-world examples like living shorelines and how businesses can be part of the climate solution by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

Dr. Elizabeth Fly, Director of Resilience & Ocean Conservation at The Nature Conservancy and host of the podcast Conversing with Nature, shares insights on ecosystem resilience and the climate impacts already reshaping South Carolina’s coast. We discuss sea level rise, stronger hurricanes, heavier rainfall, droughts, urban heat, and what these changes mean for the places we love.

We also explore sustainable business, the Fly Fishing Climate Alliance, and Emerger Strategies’ newest service: Nature Strategy & Science-Based Targets for Nature. Elizabeth and I talk through the growing challenges tied to South Carolina’s rapid population growth and the urgent need for long-term planning. And finally, she takes us inside some of her fascinating climate research and the work happening on the ground to build a more resilient future.

This episode was an absolute blast to record and is packed with valuable takeaways for conservationists, business leaders, anglers, and anyone who cares about the future of our coastal communities.

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Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

This is a special episode of The Sustainable Angler because Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I’ve been reflecting on what I’m most grateful for this year. Nature is right at the top of that list. Over the past year, I’ve been inspired by books like Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and Carbon by Paul Hawken, and my wife and I have made a point to get our kids outside—camping, hiking, fishing, and surfing. Experiencing the healing power of nature has made me even more concerned about what’s happening to America’s public lands and even more proud that Emerger Strategies is a member of The Conservation Alliance, which helps protect them.

That’s why I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Paul Hendricks, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. In this episode, we discuss:

• Paul’s sustainability journey through Patagonia and Rivian
• The history and mission of The Conservation Alliance
• How the Brands for Public Lands coalition has grown to 150+ companies
• Why the Roadless Rule is essential for protecting wild places
• The ecological importance of removing the Snake River Dams
• How 1% for the Planet and The Conservation Alliance act as force multipliers for conservation
• Why brands need a nature strategy in today’s changing world
• What gives Paul hope for the future of public lands and biodiversity

And before we get started, I just want to say thank you. I’m truly grateful that you take the time to listen to this podcast. I hope these conversations inspire you to take action for nature. If you’re enjoying the show, a quick, free way to support it is by leaving a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you care about conservation, sustainability, public lands, or building a brighter future for nature, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Belvin Olasov, Director of the Charleston Climate Coalition, a grassroots organization of passionate Lowcountry citizens working to accelerate local climate solutions through creativity, compassion, and community action.

We dive deep into the Coalition’s incredible work — from developing Climate Action Plans for the Town of James Island and Charleston County, to building rain gardens, planting native species, and advocating for better transportation infrastructure like safer bike lanes downtown.

But the heart of this conversation focuses on a critical environmental fight: stopping Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper’s proposed methane gas plant on the Edisto River, and the dangerous pipeline route planned through the ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge — one of the largest undeveloped wetland ecosystems left on the Atlantic coast.

Belvin explains how this outdated, $2 billion fossil fuel project threatens wildlife like the red-cockaded woodpecker, bald eagle, wood stork, loggerhead turtle, and shortnose sturgeon, while locking South Carolina into decades of greenhouse gas emissions — all paid for by you, the ratepayer.

This is a must-listen episode for anyone who loves South Carolina’s wild places, believes in clean energy, and wants to make a difference.

Take action: Visit www.charlestonclimatecoalition.org/dominion-energy
to sign the petition and help protect the ACE Basin from this destructive project.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this inspiring episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Charlotte Ward, Communications and Media Manager at Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) — the “best lobbyists money can’t buy.”

Charlotte shares how CCL empowers everyday citizens to meet with members of Congress, build bipartisan support for climate solutions, and advance policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions — including clean energy permitting reform and the Fix Our Forests Act.

We dive into the power of storytelling in driving climate action, why “action is the antidote to despair,” and how spending time in nature can help us recharge and stay hopeful in the fight against climate change. Charlotte also shares how switching to an electric vehicle (EV) and installing solar panels has helped her family save money and lower their carbon footprint, plus practical tips for writing a powerful letter to the editor that can influence local and national conversations.

Charlotte also highlights an exciting opportunity to get involved: CCL’s Fall Virtual Conference taking place November 14–15, 2025, followed by Virtual Lobby Week (Nov. 17–21) — a chance for anyone to take meaningful climate action from anywhere in the country.

If you care about climate solutions, sustainability, and protecting the places you love, this episode will remind you that your story — and your voice — matter.

🎧 Tune in and learn how ordinary people are creating extraordinary impact at www.emergerstrategies.com/podcast

Special thanks to Charlotte for all she does and to CCL for providing the resources to train citizens to take climate action! Thanks for listening!

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with legendary angler, author, conservation advocate, and 1% for the Planet co-founder Craig Mathews. Craig recently co-authored a new book with Mauro Mazzo and Yvon Chouinard called Pheasant Tail Simplicity — a reflection on the lessons learned from a lifetime of fly fishing, fly tying, and protecting the wild places we love.

Craig shares the inspiring story behind how he and Yvon started 1% for the Planet, and how giving back isn’t just good for the planet — it’s good for business. We also discuss how climate change is impacting Montana, what hunters and anglers can do to advocate for public lands and climate action, and hear some of Craig’s favorite conservation success stories from the field.

If you care about fly fishing, conservation, and building a purpose-driven business, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Special thanks to Craig for leading by example and for all he continues to do to protect what he loves, and thanks for listening!

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Scotty Davis from the American Saltwater Guides Association to discuss critical changes looming over our redfish fishery. South Carolina and Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources is considering lowering the Spawning Potential Ratio (SPR) for redfish from 40% to 30%—a move that would forever compromise the health and recovery of this iconic species.

Scotty explains what’s at stake, why keeping the 40% SPR is essential, and how outdated regulations—unchanged for more than 30 years—must finally be addressed to protect redfish for future generations. We also break down what anglers, guides, and conservationists can do to make their voices heard through public comments and direct outreach to legislators.

🚨 Action Alert: Learn more at: The American Saltwater Guides Association website. Make your public comment before 11:59 PM EST on October 1st at Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Get Involved. Don’t let redfish management go backward.

This is more than policy—it’s about protecting the future of our fishery.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with National Geographic photographer, and TED speaker, and Executive Director of Naturaland Trust, Mac Stone to talk about the power of imagery in protecting wild places. Mac and I go back to 2008, when we first met working at the A Bar A Ranch in Wyoming, and we trace his journey from field biologist in the Everglades and Francis Beidler National to globally recognized storyteller.

We dive into:

•  How photography shaped public opinion of the Everglades through his book Everglades: America’s Wetland
• Surprising discoveries while working with National Geographic—from unmarked Revolutionary War graves to the ancient secrets of cypress “ghost forests”
• The mystery of the ghost orchid’s pollinator and the film Chasing Ghosts
• Why protecting ecosystems like the Everglades and Francis Beidler Forest is essential to biodiversity, freshwater health, and our collective history

You’ll also hear how grassroots conservation efforts helped stop a major threat to the largest intact old-growth cypress and tupelo forest on earth. Mac’s stories reveal not only the fragility of these ecosystems, but also the hope and lessons they hold for restoration and protection around the world.

This episode is brought to you by: Emerger Strategies and A New Earth Project -- The Sustainability Initiative of Atlantic Packaging.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, host Rick Crawford welcomes Dr. Susan Johnson, founder of Nature at Work, a statewide initiative in South Carolina dedicated to connecting healthier people with healthier places through nature. Rick and Susan explore the healing power of the outdoors—from kayaking the Lowcountry’s salt marshes to research showing how hospital patient outcomes improve when they have views of nature.

Together, they discuss how spending just minutes outside can lower stress, improve heart health, boost focus, and even make us happier and more creative at work. Susan shares how Nature at Work is helping businesses and organizations bring nature into everyday work life through biophilic design, outdoor wellness strategies, and conservation volunteering. This episode highlights why time in nature not only makes us healthier, happier, and smarter—but also inspires us to become better stewards of the environment.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.

In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Dylan Coates and Stephen Vaughan from Hobie Eyewear to talk about one of the most innovative sustainability stories in the fishing industry.

Hobie Eyewear is transforming waste into value by upcycling leftover plastic from Hobie kayak manufacturing into their best-selling Hobie Hull sunglasses. The process is simple but brilliant: grind down kayak manufacturing scraps into pellets, then mold them into durable, floatable sunglass frames. The result? A product anglers love that also keeps plastic out of landfills.

Beyond innovation, Hobie Eyewear is proving that sustainability and business success go hand-in-hand. Their Hull sunglasses are the #1 seller on their site, showing that anglers are demanding more sustainable products. Plus, Hobie gives back by donating a portion of proceeds to the Fish America Foundation and organizing lake cleanups. Even the packaging is designed with more sustainable paper-based materials.

If you’re curious about how brands can turn "squandered corporate assets" into sustainable innovations that resonate with customers, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

🎣 Like what you heard?

Subscribe to The Sustainable Angler wherever you get your podcasts and leave a review to help us grow the conversation around sustainable business in the fishing and outdoor industries.

For more resources, or to learn how Emerger Strategies can help your brand turn sustainability into a competitive advantage by making it simple, strategic, and profitable, visit www.emergerstrategies.com.

Follow us on Instagram @emergerstrategies and @thesustainableangler and stay tuned for more insights from leaders at the intersection of conservation, business, and the outdoors.