This is perhaps the most amazing footage ever captured of what’s referred to as a “mega-pod” of dolphins…thousands of dolphins migrating together, one of the most rare wonders of the sea. Click here for the full post on Chase’s blog or see below. Chase Jarvis is a world-renowned photographer and film-maker, doing what he does best. He invited fellow 1%FTP Ambassador Leilani Munter into the discussion, since she’s spent much time defending dolphins from the slaughter as revealed in the film “The Cove” which sponsored her 2012 race season.
A “Top 10″ Life Moment: Video of Dolphin “Super-Pod” Stampede
I’ve been lucky enough to travel to a lot of far-flung places and I’ve seen my share of amazing things. But this hour-long event captured in the video above was one of the most beautiful, humbling and amazing things I have ever seen in my entire life. I was so dumb struck that I could hardly put the camera in front of my face to capture it…
Last month my crew and I were sailing with Mike Horn off the coast of South Africa. We are working in collaboration with a visionary company called Polyform who are helping Mike and I bring the beauty and wonder of our oceans to as many people as possible.
It was about an hour’s sail south of Capetown, cutting through the water on Mike’s 110-foot sailboat Pangaea, when “it” appeared. At first, on the horizon, we noticed what appeared to be a giant ball of bait fish. The water boiled for literally a mile in every direction…only as it approached at the speed of a swift wave did we see first a nose, then another, then a dorsal fin and then a thousand of them, then more. Only then did we realize we were experiencing the rare “superpod” of dolphins. Not dozens, not hundreds, but thousands of them — so thick you could have walked across their backs had they been game for it.
As they approached our boat and quickly surrounded us, our cameras were blazing…every camera, iPhone, point-and-shoot, DSLR, GoPros, every camera imaginable was firing off frames…until we realized that they were with us, and that the moment was actually too rare to shoot photos. After just a few minutes, we all put down our cameras, we stopped talking, and we simply took in the beauty with our eyes. In all of my days as a photographer, there have only been a handful where I’ve been witnessing / pariticpating in an event like this and simply stopped shooting to take it in. This was one of those moments.
In the few minutes we did shoot, we were able to get the footage to make this video above. And while it’s impossible to truly convey the magic of this experience – I hope these clips give you just a little sliver of what it’s like to encounter something so rare and stunning – especially when you least expect it. I think Mike does a good job of trying to communicate this with his little voiceover we cut into the video. Once you see something like this – you are truly marked for life.
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The next step. YOUR next step.
After the experience, we spoke with Doreen Gurrola, an instructor of marine sciences at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA, who told us these were “common dolphins” or Delphinus delphis. As my crew learned more from her about these dear creatures, my thoughts went…
// …to the mindblowing documentary film, The Cove (Oscar winner for Best Feature Documentary.) If you haven’t seen it, watch it. You’ll love me and hate me for the recommendation.
// …to my friends at 1% For the Planet where I’m an ambassador along with musician, Jack Johnson, and pro surfer, Dan Ross. Please give 1% For The Planet a donation. They are an amazing organization and can use your help. $1, $20, $100. Anything will help them. And then they connected me with…
// Leilani Munter, is also an ambassador for 1% for the Planet. She says, “I am using my voice and my race car to address environmental issues by trying to educate and engage 75 million race fans and hopefully inspire them to rethink their day-to-day habits. I am a big believer in not preaching to the choir.” Amen. Most recently, Leilani has teamed up with the Oceanic Preservation Society and Louie Psihoyos, the director of “The Cove”, on his new film called “The Heist” about species extinction. Bringing the message to the masses is their mission. Their kickstarter project is just thousands away from becoming a funded project. Let’s put them over the edge and give them money here. “We can’t say much about what we are doing, but it will be a big event, something people will definitely remember and will be equally as inspiring as the first film.”
// …which led me back to The Cove website where I found a wonderfully simple directive on what YOU can do take action to preserve, protect, and help these cool creatures and our planet:
Thank you for reading all of this. If you’ve been moved by this at all, if you’re not able to donate, then you can still help by sharing this post, this video with your friends. Also, huge thanks to Zoe Keating – check out the gorgeous music accompanying this video get it here on iTunes. Many thanks, much #respect.
This is a great opportunity that has been initiated by a member of the Board of Directors of 1% for the Planet, Jesse Johnson.
Telluride, Colorado, a picturesque historical mining town perched just below 9,000 feet in the San Juan Mountains, has long been a world-class destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Now it is to become a world-class destination for promising entrepreneurs. The Telluride Venture Accelerator (TVA) is now accepting applications for its inaugural 2013 year. Three winning entrepreneurs/companies will receive $30,000 each and be invited to spend 6 months in Telluride working in our newly formed accelerator.
TVA FOCUSES ON…
Entrepreneurs with innovative businesses in the following areas:
Outdoors, lifestyle and recreation
Natural, organic products, food and beverages
Health and healthy living
Tourism
Impact investing – energy, water, education, food
*TVA will prioritize technological products and services (e.g. software, mobile, mobile apps, hardware)
We are accepting applications starting Oct 1st through Nov 15th. To register your interest, ask questions, receive a summary of our program, or learn more about the application process, please ”Click Here” to register. TVA promises to get back to you quickly.
Greg McEvilly, CEO of 1%FTP member Kammok, with 30 seconds of inspiration. Thanks Greg! You are being the change we all wish to see and inspiring others to do the same in their own way.
Please watch this two-minute, highly entertaining music video from the staff of one of Patagonia Footwear’s independent retailers in Arizona. The employees of Mountain Sports in Flagstaff, AZ, created this video and coined the phrase “Patagonia is the first to admit, you’re only cool if you’re an advocate” as part of this project. I would think that is pretty darn cool, even if I didn’t work at 1% for the Planet.
Have you ever seen employees of a retail store creating music videos and social media campaigns about a product in their free time, just because the brand or program inspires them?
The Patagonia Footwear Advocate Weeks program is an innovative engagement campaign that is part of Patagonia Footwear’s membership with 1% for the Planet. The program empowers retail-store employees to support local non-profits working on environmental issues. And it’s been a huge success in terms of employee/community engagement, while boosting comparable weekly sales by over 300% in some stores and generating tens of thousands of dollars for local environmental organizations.
Each Spring and Fall, retailers select two weeks within a three-month window to run their Advocate Weeks. During these weeks Patagonia Footwear makes the program and promotion materials available to all of their independent retailers. As a member of 1% for the Planet, 1% of sales (not profit) already goes to environmental non-profits. Patagonia Footwear created the 1% for the Planet co-branded Advocate line of footwear to serve as a conversation-starter at retail and when the consumer wears the shoe.
During Advocate Weeks Patagonia Footwear donates $10 for every Patagonia shoe sold through their independent retailers to local environmental non-profits that are selected by the employees of each store. The Advocate Weeks program brings the “Advocate” culture to every shoe in Patagonia’s portfolio, while localizing and socializing the environmental benefits to engage customers and employees around local non-profit organizations.
“Our business has an impact on the environment,” said Patagonia Footwear Marketing Manager Sue Harvey Brown. “We wanted to offset that impact and give back to the environment, while creating a program that empowers and engages employees and local communities.”
Two years after the program was launched in 2010, the Advocate line of 1% for the Planet co-branded footwear usually has at least one product in Patagonia’s weekly top ten, and retailers participating in the Advocate Week program has grown from 11 to more than 75, says Harvey Brown. The Advocate line of products is also growing much faster than the overall Patagonia Footwear business.
“The Advocate weeks have been a great value added program for us and our retail partners, both in terms of being able to educate consumers and raise money for local non profits,” said Patagonia Footwear Sales Director Jamie Barbor.
Imagine the impact that could be made if more brands and products developed “advocate” style engagement campaigns where each transaction creates a contribution to a relevant environmental cause; imagine what business could do for environmental causes while engaging employees and customers if more companies took this “contributory consumption” approach; ok, now stop imagining, and figure out how you can make something like this happen in your world. Be an advocate!
One of our newest Media Partners, Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, is donating the equivalent of 1% of sales to us by making 1%FTP a sponsor of this great event in Colorado coming up on September 14-16. Thank you TB&B for helping us reach your audience, and for making sustainability a core value in your excellent festival that is now in its 19th year!
This Festival is 100% carbon neutral! Thanks to our partner Green Mountain Energy Company, we have offset the emissions associated with the production of Telluride Blues and Brews Festival. Telluride has also extended the option to fans to purchase a Green Ticket which offsets a portion of emissions created by traveling to and from the event. To date, Telluride Festival attendees have purchased over 2,500 Green Tickets and still counting!
Telluride Blues & Brews is a Proud Media Partner of the Global 1% for the Planet Movement. Since 2002, 1% for the Planet has encouraged members of the business community to contribute one percent of sales to environment causes. 1% for the Planet exists to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet.
In early 2009, 1% for the Planet realized that in order for them to build consumer awareness and touch business leaders in new realms, they would need to create a parallel 1% model to complement and build their business network. This new business model would incorporate Media Partners, such as us, Telluride Blues & Brews, to commit at least 1% of their advertising to sharing 1% for the Planet with their audiences.
As a 1% Media Partner, we hope you’ll help us build the 1% movement together. For more information and to learn how your business community can take part please visitonepercerntfortheplanet.org.
Thanks to our diverse network of members, partners and Ambassadors and our PR efforts, the 1%FTP movement is having a record-breaking year in terms of media coverage. We’ve had more than 60 million media impressions year-to-date, more than twice the reach of our earned media efforts in 2011.
Clearly the general public, business world, and media outlets are recognizing that a commitment to sustainability is part of a strong and necessary business strategy. And 1% for the Planet continues to provide a credible and engaging platform for companies to walk the talk. Below are some highlights of media coverage that mentions 1% for the Planet.
Back in June we brought three of our member companies to present on a panel at the LOHAS conference in Boulder, CO. Joining us were Katie Wallace of New Belgium Brewing, Jeff Cresswell of Klean Kanteen, and Sue Harvey Brown of Patagonia Footwear. The video/summary below was posted on Environmental Leader about this panel discussion which was moderated by 1% FTP Senior VP Melody Badgett.
High Impact Sustainability Partnerships
How brands and non-profits can create meaningful progress and brand value through collaboration on environmental issues. In this LOHAS 2012 breakout session companies from the 1% for the Planet network explore how partnerships between businesses and causes of sustainability can create brand-value and important progress on environmental issues.
Melody Badgett – SVP Marketing, 1% for the Planet (moderator)
Jeff Cresswell – COO, Klean Kanteen
Sue Harvey Brown – Marketing Manager, Patagonia Footwear
Katie Wallace – Sustainability Specialist, New Belgium Brewing Company
This is one of the most inspiring and enlightening presentations we’ve seen in awhile. Thanks to Kammok CEO/Founder Greg McEvilly for sharing your story, and for helping us grow the 1% for the Planet movement through your leadership.
Our hearts go out to 1% for the Planet member Morningstar Lanyards. Last week wildfires ravaged much of the Western US, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses. Lynda MacButch, owner of Morningstar Lanyards in Pocatello, Idaho, lost her home and her entire business to the fires, but is thankful that nobody was injured.
“The only thing left of my home is the chimney, I lost all of my lanyard inventory and my raw materials. Of course we have home owners insurance, but I didn’t have business insurance,” Lynda told us by email. “I am in the process of ordering manufacturing materials and will get my assemblers working ASAP. I hope my customers will be patient and stay loyal, until I can get back on my feet.”
Morningstar Lanyards is a contributor to Trout Unlimited through 1% for the Planet.
1% for the Planet sponsored the 2012 Sustainable Brands conference in San Diego, CA last week. We connected with hundreds of business-leaders to build the business-case for our movement, and left the event inspired that the business world is awakening to the challenge. SB12 was packed with interesting seminars, presentations, workshops and side conversations that cut through the hype with a lot of brutal honesty about the challenges companies face regarding sustainability and consumer-trust. 1% for the Planet was often referenced as a network where companies are walking the talk and succeeding financially at the same time.
In the Causeway breakout session, I presented a quick case study about how membership in our network gives businesses a platform of credibility and transparency to engage and inspire all their stakeholders. The Advocate Weeks program by Patagonia Footwear is a beautiful example of how environmental giving can be localized to mobilize employees and activists, driving social engagement and tremendous business success. Do the employees of your wholesale customers write songs and produce music videos about your product, just for fun?
Patagonia Footwear has figured out how to inspire this kind of engagement, while driving triple digit retail sales growth during Advocate Weeks and funding environmental work that local communities care about.
The highlight of the event was the Playhouse dinner and music show that we sponsored. We brought 1% for the Planet member Chris Velan and his band to a beautiful outdoor venue and his music had hundreds of people dancing with joy. We also invited one of our local Recipients, Guitars in the Classroom, (GITC) to help us kick off the music with a group of local elementary school students who played a song from their “Green Song Book” while Chris played along in the background. (Jack Johnson and his wife Kim helped GITC publish this book that educates kids about environmental issues through songs). GITC is an innovative organization that brings music and educational enrichment programs focused on environmental issues to children in dozens of communities in the US. There were many a teary-eye in the audience as these kids really brought home why we all are working for a sustainable environment for future generations.
After our Playhouse presentation dozens of people told me things like “Wow, now I get it. Hearing how membership works from a couple of your member companies, and seeing the impact your movement is having through non-profits like Guitars in the Classroom, now I really get what you guys are all about and I want to be part of this.”
