Patagonia’s Advocacy for Preserving and Restoring the Earth

California resident Nathan Duncan joined the Patagonia team in 2019. As a general manager, Nathan Duncan is involved with a number of activities ranging from supervising employees to promoting the brand’s message.

Central to the brand’s message is saving the environment, which is carried out through its one percent sales contribution to the restoration and preservation of the natural environment. Established 35 years ago, the company began giving one percent of its sales to grassroots organizations globally totaling $89 million in cash and in-kind donations, which have made a difference in these communities.

The company’s founder went further in adopting this stance on the environment. Founder Yvon Chouinard and business owner Craig Mathews launched a non-profit that would encourage other business owners to donate one percent of the sales to causes focused on preserving and restoring the environment.

Named 1 % for the Planet, the venture has grown to become an alliance of businesses that understand that profit and loss are linked to the health of the environment. Because of this relationship, it is important that businesses become concerned with the overall social and environmental impacts of the industry.

Patagonia - Combining Quality and Environmental Impact Awareness

A three-time Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa, Nathan Duncan has a background in social studies and environmental education and a passion for the outdoors. Since 2019, Nathan Duncan is the general manager at Patagonia in Palo Alto, California where he leverages his leadership experience in the education sector to manage a team of 30 staff members.

Patagonia has been making clothing and climbing gear for 48 years now, with a constant commitment to quality in a world where everything is becoming disposable and Americans are throwing away an average of 81 pounds of clothing in a year. This approach to clothing, footwear, and similar goods is harming the environment, and Patagonia’s founder Yvon Chouinard has always been attentive to environmental issues and the impact of both the production and use of clothing and gear on the planet.

In the past five years, Patagonia designed and perfected a scorecard to assess the quality of products that includes ten criteria which help assess the quality and environmental impact of each product by questioning whether they are functional, durable, aesthetically appealing, or whether they cause unnecessary harm, among other things.

Nowadays, based on the ten-point assessment, Patagonia products have an average score of 8.87, and any products below 8 are dropped or the production is postponed to the following season so they can be improved. The goal is to create products that are durable and sustainable to promote a mentality that gives more value to things.

 

IFOAM Advocates Organic Agriculture to Reduce Hunger

With a master's degree in educational leadership, Nathan Duncan serves as a general manager with Patagonia, Inc. in Palo Alto, California. Proficient in business management and customer engagement, Nathan Duncan draws on nearly two decades of experience in professional learning and development and has developed efficient learning-based curriculums with public, private, and global schools. He also promotes organic agriculture.

Since organic agriculture promotes the practice of cultivating crops on pieces of land using wholly natural inputs, the production system can help sustain the natural soils and ecosystems. Products of organic farming are free of pesticide toxins, engineered genes, and are also highly nutritious and health-friendly.

Organic farming allows for minimum investments in contrast to green revolution agriculture, which requires the use of manufactured pesticides and technologies. This makes the practice sustainable, providing farmers with premium returns on investments. Considering these benefits, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) advocates its inclusion in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 plan on addressing food security issues and poverty.

Through Sustainable Development Goal 2, the United Nations plans to extend humanitarian efforts to the reaches of hungry and vulnerable populations within underdeveloped countries to achieve food security. According to the World Health Organization, food security is when all populations at a particular time have access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food. UN aims to pursue food security by supporting sustainable agriculture and also improving nutrition.

Published: Patagonia Works to Address Impact of Net-Pen Salmon Farming

“Patagonia Works to Address Impact of Net-Pen Salmon Farming” on @Medium https://ift.tt/34DCj7Q

Published: Improving Coyhaique’s Ecotourism

“Improving Coyhaique’s Ecotourism” on @Medium https://ift.tt/347KdX9

Overview of the 2020 AEE Annual Conference

 

A Campbell, California resident, Nathan Duncan served in management, teaching, and leadership roles throughout his career. With two master's degrees in international relations and educational leadership from Boston University and Queens University of Charlotte, respectively, Nathan Duncan maintains a professional membership with the Association for Experiential Education (AEE).

Founded in 1972, the AEE aims to advance experiential education initiatives around the globe. This year, AEE will host its 2020 annual conference in a virtual format from November 12th to 14th.

The 2020 AEE conference will provide education on the theories and applications of experiential education while creating virtual meeting spaces for attendees to interact. It will also inform on how technology can be used in servant leadership and risk management.

Conference participants will have opportunities to participate in sharing platforms as well as in collaborative sessions. Attendees are also invited to take part in poster presentations, earn Continuing Education Units (CEU), and explore the virtual exhibit hall.

Overview of the 2020 AEE Annual Conference

A Campbell, California resident, Nathan Duncan served in management, teaching, and leadership roles throughout his career. With two master's degrees in international relations and educational leadership from Boston University and Queens University of Charlotte, respectively, Nathan Duncan maintains a professional membership with the Association for Experiential Education (AEE).

Founded in 1972, the AEE aims to advance experiential education initiatives around the globe. This year, AEE will host its 2020 annual conference in a virtual format from November 12th to 14th.

The 2020 AEE conference will provide education on the theories and applications of experiential education while creating virtual meeting spaces for attendees to interact. It will also inform on how technology can be used in servant leadership and risk management.

Conference participants will have opportunities to participate in sharing platforms as well as in collaborative sessions. Attendees are also invited to take part in poster presentations, earn Continuing Education Units (CEU), and explore the virtual exhibit hall.