Rick Crawford
Every year I like to spend time reflecting to count my blessings and learn from my mistakes. 2018 was a wonderful year and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet so many new people and help my clients minimize the environmental impact of their operations and products. In 2018, I also created a blog and podcast called The Sustainable Angler, was fortunate to have a couple of articles published in The Drake and Southern Culture on the Fly, brought on some new clients and moderated a climate change panel discussion at IFTD. 2018 was a great year and thank you to my family, friends and clients for making it possible to live my dream of marrying fly fishing and sustainability!
First, and most importantly, I’d like to thank my wife for supporting me as I follow my dream of marrying fly fishing and sustainability and for also giving us the greatest gift of all, our newborn daughter. As a proud new father, I am more motivated than ever to ensure that she has planet worthy of inheriting. I am so very grateful to have a happy, healthy baby girl and such a caring and loving wife, so thank you.
Secondly, I’d like to thank my clients, Flood Tide Company, RepYourWater, Abaco Lodge, Veg Out Gardens and Bohemian Bull for your business. I am thrilled to see that all of my clients have successfully reduced their greenhouse gas emissions, reduced waste sent to the landfill and are giving back to their communities. I wouldn’t be able to continue pursuing my dream without your business, so thank you! In addition to offering sustainability services, I also began to offer advertising on my blog and podcast, and sustainability marketing videos and below is one I made for Abaco Lodge about their efforts to kick plastic:
Next, I’d like to thank everyone who participated in my interview series, The Sustainable Angler. The intent of The Sustainable Angler is to educate and create more awareness about climate change, plastic pollution, policy and other environmental threats to our fisheries. We are accomplishing our goal to educate and create more awareness and a huge thank you to: Hilary Hutcheson, Todd Tanner, Jako Lucas, Corinne & Garrison Doctor, Jim Klug, Jess Mcglothlin, Flip Pallot, Tudor Caradoc-Davies, John Land Le Coq, Yvon Chouinard, Craig Hayes and Alec Underwood for working to protect what we all love!
I also would like to thank the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) for letting me host a business seminar at the International Fly Tackle Dealer (IFTD) Show in Orlando this past year. I moderated The Sustainable Angler: Climate Change Panel Discussion and the panel inlcuded: Hilary Hutcheson from Lary’s Fly & Supply, John Land Le Coq from Fishpond, Garrison Doctor from RepYourWater and Dr. Aaron Adams from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. Below is a video recording of the discussion:
I also had a couple of articles published in fly fishing publications this year, which I am proud of. I wrote an article about how Avery Gillett had eliminated single-use plastics from his guiding operation called “Purified Waters”, which was published in summer issue of The Drake Magazine. Additionally, I had an article featured in Southern Culture On the Fly (S.C.O.F.), titled “Climate Change: An Open Letter” which begs the question, how can anyone possible deny that climate change is real, can be found in their Fall 2018 Issue.
Finally, I’d like to thank Bonefish & Tarpon Trust for all of the amazing work they are doing to protect what we all love and taking a science-based approach to conservation. Because Emerger Strategies is a 1% for the Planet Member, I proudly donate 1% of my sales to environmental nonprofits, and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is our 2018 recipient.
2018 has been an excellent year here at Emerger Strategies, so thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and share my blog posts, and listen to my podcast, The Sustainable Angler. I am truly humbled and grateful to be living my dream of marrying fly fishing and sustainability and sincerely appreciate your support.
Stay tuned for some exciting news in 2019, and please don’t forget to follow Emerger Strategies on social media and keep sharing so that we can protect the planet. As always, if you would like to minimize the environmental impact of your business while increasing your growth by turning your sustainability achievements into powerful marketing stories, please don’t hesitate to contact me. There has never been a better time to use your business to protect the planet!
Protect what you love,
Rick Crawford