The founder of Protect Our Winters seeks common ground in his ongoing fight for climate action, clean air, and a healthy planet. A documentary about his efforts, Purple Mountains, will premier on September 16 and encourage outdoor lovers of all political stripes to vote this November.
Legendary pro snowboarder, Jeremy Jones has faced detractors ever since he began speaking up for the planet. His nonprofit Protect Our Winters (POW), which encourages athletes and the outdoor community to lobby for public lands and climate change action was brushed off as nothing more than a marketing gimmick. “Athletes should keep their mouths shut” and “politics do not belong in the outdoors” were the most common refrains he heard from those who did not want to face the reality that the planet is in crisis and many politicians either want to ignore our environmental plight or worsen it for personal and corporate gain. But Jones and POW have steadily made a difference, galvanizing the outdoor industry on environmental causes, engaging athletes who see the effects of climate change firsthand, and registering everyday outdoor lovers to vote—as well as helping them speak up for the lands they love. In June, POW even launched a Lobbying Camp to teach outdoor enthusiasts how to voice their concerns to politicians. But along the way, Jones has come to the realization that simply fighting over the cause is no way to create unity and build the type of movement that can create real change.
In the new hour-long documentary Purple Mountains, directed by Josh ‘Bones’ Murphy (Artifishal) and produced Teton Gravity Research and Liars & Thieves, Jones seeks to find common ground when it comes to climate change and the future of the planet on both sides of the political aisle, especially in purple states during thee contentious election year. “There are over 50 million passionate outdoor enthusiasts across the country,” Jones says. “And even though we may disagree about climate policy, our shared love of the outdoors unites us.” Purple Mountains also seeks to encourage these 50 million individuals, which POW reefers to as the Outdoor State, to vote, including sending them to makeadamnplan.org, in order to speak up for the lands that mean so much to us all. Oh… and yes there is some of Jones’ signature big-mountain snowboarding mixed in. The film premieres in an online event on Wednesday, September 16. Spots are limited so sign up now at www.purplemountainsfilm.com.
Watch the official trailer for Purple Mountains here:
