Ecological Footprint of Climbers

Jakob Glasner

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I would like to take Dave Grahams Video "Bridge of Ashes" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvRh-g8kF14&feature=player_embedded) as a starting point for a discussion about the ecological footprint of the role models of the climbing community and their followers.  Due to this travel intense lifestyle every word about about "saving the environment" from this sort of climbers and the supporting companies can not be taken seriously. With this posting I don't want to blame anybody: Fly as much as you like. Climb wherever you want. Go wherever you think you can find your adventures. But as a member of the climbing community I just have to ask if we aren't rather narrow minded. On the one hand we raise awareness of the eco system around our cliffs, which I think is very important too, but on the other hand our ecological footprint on a larger scale is masked out. If we are serious about an eco friendly lifestyle don't we and our media need new role models? Or is it more like this: The quality of climbing always goes first and picking up some plastic bottles is the way to salve our conscience. I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this topic!

4 replies

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Jens Larssen

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I would agree that the climbing quality is the priority. In the micro perspective we can do as much as possible at the climbing scene. I mean, I use my car to go climbing at the same time as I do some environmental effort at home when it comes to batteries and glaces etc. Just because I use my car does not mean I could just stop collecting batteries at home and the same goes for Graham and other good role models. We can not tell them to just walk to every crag... :)

John Meget

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Jakob, could you give us some more specifics, of exactly what you mean? Behaviors, actions, etc you would like to see more or less of? Right now it seems like generalities.

Andy Smith

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Jakob, You look at this in a different way to what I do. People set great examples for being environmentally friendly, take nature seriously etc..which I think is great because it lets the wider community (in this case the climbing community) know that it really is cool to care about the environment, and about what we are leaving behind. Pointing out that these guys use the only realistic modern transport system they have available to them so that they can do what they love...that for me is taking it too far..are you expecting these guys to stay in their own backyards? I think intent has a lot to do with this, and I believe for most climbers its a very good/ eco friendly kind.

pbla4024

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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/sunday-review/the-biggest-carbon-sin-air-travel.html?_r=0