This March, Protect Our Winters’ #CrushIt4Climate Challenges People to Kick Off Climate Advocacy Journey

#CrushIt4Climate brings the 50M Outdoor State together to put their love for the outdoors in action by setting goals, getting outside and taking action on climate

BOULDER, CO (March 4, 2021)—Protect Our Winters’ (POW) #CrushIt4Climate kicks off March by inviting the 50M Outdoor State to set a goal, get some friends, get outside and in the name of climate action. As was clear in 2020, when the outdoor state mobilizes, change can be made. Powered by the POW Athlete Alliance, this March POW is hoping to inspire thousands of people to start their advocacy journey with POW. Together, the Outdoor State can seize this critical, post-election moment, to make a difference on climate policy, rooted in the outdoors, where so many find inspiration.

And while crushing it has endless personal and often global benefits on its own, Protect Our Winters along with POW athletes and brand partners are sweetening the pot with the chance to join athletes for an experience and prizes from Burton, Jones Snowboards, Aspen Ski Co., Black Diamond, POC, Spyder, Arc’teryx, Smartwool and more just for setting goals and joining in.

JOIN: https://protectourwinters.org/crushit
TRACK ON STRAVA: https://www.strava.com/challenges/2285 (get a badge!)
VIDEO: share/embed from YouTube

Last March, just as day-to-day lives were upended in unimaginable ways worldwide, more than 400,000 people chose to embark on a climate advocacy journey, and achieve goals together through #CrushIt4Climate. This year the effort has become something bigger; a way for people who love the outdoors to reunite and keep moving together safely, while seizing this moment to make a meaningful difference in protecting our playgrounds.

“The original goal was to raise both funds for POW and awareness on climate issues, but now #CrushIt4Climate has evolved into something bigger; a beacon of hope and positivity for those who love the outdoors. It’s been inspiring for me to see how many people are not only getting involved, but using this moment to bring their community together on climate issues,” said Jim Morrison, a ski mountaineer and member of POW’s Rider’s Alliance.

Inspiring people to further climate change advocacy and education, some athletes are taking on major physical challenges such as Rickey Gates “skiing Everest” (29,000 vertical feet) with fellow POW Athletes Abby Levene and Joe Grant, or biking every mile of singletrack in your county with Kate Courtney, who has her work cut out for her in Marin County, CA. Others are leaning into educational, advocacy and creative challenges like Jessie Diggins’ goal to read at least one climate article per week, then get outside and post a photo of your adventure with a caption of what you have learned from the article, tagging @protectourwinters and three friends who can join POW.  Photographer Christian Pondella’s photo challenge #CrushIt4ClimateChaseTheLight encourages people to showcase why they are advocating for climate. And Zahan Billimoria is getting outside, while reducing emissions by committing to ride his bike for town errands and local ski adventures throughout March.

People across the U.S. are posting their #Crushit4Climate moments, please consider sharing, embedding and doing your own, with some inspiration from POW athletes:

Rebecca Rusch: https://www.instagram.com/p/CL4005aHPuS/ (riding 350 miles of the Iditarod)
Jeremy Jones: https://www.instagram.com/p/CL5bWKMDG0K/
Zahan Billimoria: https://www.instagram.com/p/CL7FLg4lrke/
Graham Zimmerman: https://www.instagram.com/p/CL43iyjj9At/ (20,000 weekly)
Jessie Diggins: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CL4Pik1gde1/