Company Awareness

[kawasakirob]

I believe this would be a great addition to the site but if not... No problem.




How about a list of company's that are not supportive of the motorized industry? Company's who back non motorized outfits to protect land and tighten already tight regulations in the motorized community. Basically, a list of company's who do not share our beliefs as motorcycle (and other) users and fight to restrict our access to the areas and hobbies we love. For some a way of life.

I first thought of this while reading a snowmobile article where certain large main stream company's were backing organizations to fight for the protection of land that was a known snowmobiling area due to " tearing up the land. " This magazine looked into the claims and pointed out how outrageous these claims were in that certain area (but in the end it did not work out for the snowmobiles). Also the article pointed out some of those companies.... REI, Smartwool, Clifbar...etc just to name a few.


Why support companies that don't support us?

[kawasakirob]

A great example on ADV rider when the same topic was brought up a few years ago. A member named Merlin 57 dug deep.


Being an avid skier, I have some REI stuff in my bag of gear that I bought back in the mid-ninties. I like others, used to shop there frequently......until I heard sometime in the early 2000's that they were not to friendly to OHV recreation. I decided to do some research to make sure and what do you know.......

Looking at their website you will find the following narrative:

"We use many tools in our work. Just as the co-op shares its profits with members through the annual patronage dividend, we also share the co-op's success with our communities by setting aside a portion of our income for giving. In 2006 these donations exceeded $4 million. Since 1976 we have donated more than $20 million to nonprofit organizations that offer conservation and recreation programs."

http://www.rei.com/aboutrei/csr/2006/active.html

Well....I got curious as to who was getting all that money and I played follow the money and what do you know....I came up with with this group:

http://www.conservationalliance.com/

"The Alliance was founded in 1989 by industry leaders REI, Patagonia, The North Face, and Kelty, who shared the goal of increasing outdoor industry support for conservation efforts. We now have more than 130 member companies, and will disburse $700,000 in 2007. "

Now since I have equipment from some of these folks I started digging around at who they were giving grants to and frankly...none of these companies will ever get 1 cent from me ever again. Check out why and this is just a partial list.....

1992 - Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance $17,200.00
1995 - Southwest Ctr. for Biological Diversity $35,000.00
1995 - Utah Wilderness Coalition $33,750.00
1998 - Southwest Center for Biological Diversity $35,000.00
1999 - Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance $35,000.00
2000 - Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance $35,000.00
2001 - Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance $30,000.00
2002 - Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance $35,000.00
2002 - California Wilderness Coalition $35,000.00
2004 - Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance $25,000.00
2004 - Arizona Wilderness Coalition $32,000.00
2004 - California Wilderness Coalition $32,000.00
2005 - Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance $25,000.00
2005 - Restore Hetch Hetchy $20,000.00
2005 - California Wilderness Coalition $30,000.00
2007 - California Wilderness Coalition $35,000.00
2007 - Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance $25,000.00

Folks....every time we spend our money on any product from one of the companies that supports the Conservation Alliance with their profits, we are slitting our own throats. Plain and simple....they are against our form of recreation and have supported one of the most egregious anti offroad organizations (SUWA) every year for well over a decade.

Additionally....they support the Roadless Initiative....

"REI had been a supporter of the original Roadless Rule. We commented in favor of the rule in the 1990s..."

http://www.rei.com/aboutrei/csr/2006..._national.html

REI is trying to have their cake and eat it to...they are funding a front that is rabidly against offroad recreation while trying to act as if they are simply caught in the middle so that they retain our business. That is so hypocritical it makes me crazy. I hope it does the same for all of you.


For the whole thread:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=805485

[FZRguy]

And so it goes, til it's all gone. I think most motorized areas will be closed down eventually, which is one reason I've gone to MTB for forest access. MTB riders are tolerated but the non-access groups don't care much for us either. I wonder what they will come up with to ban electric dirt bikes when they become more popular.

[kawasakirob]

Probably similar accusations without the noise violations. Sediment in streams I can see being a big one, also erosion maybe? That's a good question.

[FZRguy]

There are literally millions of acres of FS and BLM land in this country. There is room for every type of recreation, motorized or not. I get the quiet hiking experience and I’d be a hiker too if my knees were healthy. We all want to conserve the forest for future generations, but these groups seem to want it all for themselves. The anti-access groups would be overjoyed if every inch of forest were declared Wilderness. Like you mentioned in the other thread, you can’t even meet with these wacko’s and have an intelligent conversation on the subject.