By Grey Gowder, Executive Director, Carolina Ocean Alliance “What is your water?” asked Dr. Wallace J. Nichols. This was far from the first time the founder of the Blue Mind movement asked this question. “What are your foundational memories of water, of the waters that shaped you?” For residents of the South Carolina Lowcountry, we…
Category: Conservation
Journal Entry: Tarpon Fishing in the Keys
May 31, 2026 My alarm sounded at 4:30 AM and I gladly jumped out of bed. Any other day, I might lay in bed for a few minutes, but not today. Ben Young, Paul Puckett, and I were set to leave at 6 AM for a twelve hour drive down to the Keys. It is…
10 Years of Giving Back: How Emerger Strategies Uses Business as a Force for Good
I can honestly say that Emerger Strategies would not exist if I hadn’t picked up a copy of Let My People Go Surfing. Yvon Chouinard’s memoir about building Patagonia into a company that uses business as a tool to solve environmental and social problems didn’t just inspire me — it gave me a blueprint for…
Journal Entry: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at What it’s Like Being a Sustainability Consultant for Fly Fishing Brands
Telling Credible Sustainability Stories with Mayfly Outdoors April 23-27, 2026 Last week, I spent the week in Montrose, CO for Mayfly Outdoors‘ Dealer Days. It was an inspiring week learning more about brands like Abel Reels, Airlite, Airflo, Dyna-King, Renzetti and Ross Reels are made, and the efforts they are making to support conservation and…
Why Public Lands Advocacy Matters for Anglers and Outdoor Brands | Keith Shattenkirk of Patagonia
In this episode of The Sustainable Angler, I sit down with Keith Shattenkirk, Program Officer for Healthy Lands & Waters at Patagonia. Keith shares the fascinating story of how he transitioned from a career in finance to working on the frontlines of conservation for one of the most influential outdoor companies in the world. We dive into…
Laws of Nature for Sustainable Business, Part 4: The Law of Carrying Capacity
Welcome to the Laws of Nature for Sustainable Business blog series! The purpose of this blog series is to connect the Laws of Nature with emerging sustainability-related regulations, such as: EPR for Packaging, Climate-Related Disclosures, and PFAS bans so that business leaders understand that there isn’t anything political about science, it’s just the way things are, and…