The head of La Sportiva made it clear that Colorado does not want Utah’s dirty air.
by Doug schnitzspahn
Jonathan Lantz did not come to run one of the most important outdoor sport companies in Colorado in the usual way … or maybe he did. The East Coast native graduated with a degree in soil science in 1996 and immediately moved to Colorado to chase mountains and snow. Soon he was working as a shipper at Boulder-based La Sportiva, an arm of a larger European company that builds gear for speed, including everything from trail runners to breathable/waterproof shells to AT skis. Twenty years later, Lantz has worked almost every job at La Sportiva on his way to the top and he’s become a vocal advocate for the outdoor industry in the state. This past spring, he wrote a rousing editorial in the Boulder Daily Camera, fighting alongside the Sierra Club to stop Utah coal plants from spewing pollution into Colorado’s air. That effort worked: In June, the EPA ruled the Utah plants must reduce their dirty emissions. Lantz took the time to talk with us about business, personal advocacy and play.
Why is the outdoor industry important to Colorado? To the U.S.? To the planet?
It supports our economy and it helps define who we are as a state. The lure of living a clean, healthy lifestyle is drawing more and more people to Colorado and the Outdoor Industry can help define that healthy ethic, and also benefit from it. As the outdoor economy grows within the U.S., it brings a broader awareness about the state of the environment in which we live. We need to preserve it and protect it for future generations so they can enjoy living a clean and healthy life themselves. I personally love working for a small, independently owned, quality oriented mountain company that is focused on making great products and doing the right thing. This is how I live, who I am: I have two teenage boys named Talus and Kale and a lovely wife named Alisa that I have been with for 20 years. We live in the mountains and our entire family is very passionate about the outdoors. We ski, bike, hike, climb and love music and good food.
What type of power do outdoor industry brands have to fight for environmental and social good in their communities?
Outdoor Industry brands have an amazing opportunity to help raise awareness about environmental and social issues. Our customers are educated, affluent and extremely loyal. Educating them about what we see as important issues to protect natural spaces is an extremely powerful tool.
Why did you oppose Utah’s coal pollution?
For obvious reasons. Pollution is bad and is detrimental to health in humans and the environment. If you can make something cleaner by spending money to improve the emissions then it should be done. Ask yourself this: How much money is being made by the company that owns these plants?
How did you work to fight against it?
I signed on to the Protect Our Winters (POW) letter to the EPA and then I worked with our media agency to submit an op-ed to raise even more awareness about the issue. That op-ed was then circulated via social media which brought even more attention to this important issue
Is this activism something you see as a part of your role at La Sportiva?
I don’t see it as so much a part of my role at La Sportiva but more as the role of someone who has crafted a life around the outdoors. Our company is focused on creating the most technical mountain products for pursuing dreams and aspirations while doing the least harm possible. It’s essential that anyone who makes a living in the Outdoor Industry should also spend some effort and time protecting the environment.
What makes La Sportiva different as a brand?
La Sportiva was founded in 1928 in the Val di Fiemme region of Northern Italy. It’s still owned by the same family that started it and located in the same valley to this day, making those most technical products I mentioned for pushing limits in the mountains everywhere.
How are you different than the you who runs the company? How do these two selves work together?
I am one in the same. My main goal is to run a company that people feel honored to work at and that treats people with respect. You cannot run an authentic outdoor company unless you live and breath the same philosophy in your personal life. I guess you could say that I am a little more competitive in my personal life than I am at work.
What fights are next for the industry? For the planet?
Clean water. That’s the big one and it will be the most precious resource in the years to come.
