This month’s guest is Graham Zimmerman. Graham is a professional alpinist, filmmaker, and staunch climate advocate. Through the past couple decades of traveling around the world, prioritizing climbing over everything else, the red flags and telltale signs of a changing environment shifted to the forefront of Graham’s mind. He decided to ramp up his commitment to climbing—and the environment.
Graham’s approach to advocacy is rooted in the notion of being an “imperfect advocate.” He acknowledges that he, along with everyone else, is imperfect. But that doesn’t stop him from doing whatever is in his power to raise awareness about our most pressing environmental issues. Graham has used his platforms strategically this year to educate, inform, and ultimately get people out there to vote in the election. Graham shares his experiences and knowledge to give us that gentle nudge to get engaged, imperfections and all.
Enjoy!
8:52- Intro & reflection on 2020
11:01- Being awarded a Piolet d’or
20:18- Path to advocacy
29:34- Responsibilities with Protect our Winters
31:07- Experience with Climb the Hill
34:51- Power of storytelling
38:09- Climb the Hill 2020
42:26- Public lands victories
45:53- Public lands policy vs. climate policy
48:13- Evolution of climbing advocacy
49:39- The Outdoor State
54:18- Social media & voting
58:10- Imperfect Advocacy
1:03:55- “My vote doesn’t matter”
1:06:28- Graham’s podcast, “Wildfire”
1:09:43- Books and other resources
1:14:20- Final remarks
Graham’s Instagram page: @grahamzimmerman
Protect Our Winters: https://protectourwinters.org/
Protect Our Winters Instagram page: @protectourwinters
The Outdoor State: https://protectourwinters.org/the-outdoor-state/
An Imperfect Advocate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYiC5XB2Vyg
Bedrock Film Works: https://www.bedrockfilmworks.com/home
Gnarly Nutrition: https://gognarly.com/
2020 Climbing Advocacy Conference: https://www.accessfund.org/pages/climbing-advocacy-conference
The Climbing Initiative: https://climbinginitiative.org/
Great American Outdoors Act: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/victory-climbers-help-pass-great-american-outdoors-act
Moab Oil & Gas Leases: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/breaking-blm-cancels-plans-to-auction-85-000-acres-around-moab-amid-pressure-from-climbers
John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Recreation, and Management Act: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/president-signs-public-lands-bill-wilderness-climbing-protections-written-into-law
Graham’s & REI’s Podcast Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_0KnWaRZPI&feature=emb_title
Harvest the Vote book: https://www.harvestthevotebook.com/
Dune novels: https://www.amazon.com/Dune-Frank-Herbert/dp/0441172717