Exactly...... Also spend money with companies that support our sport....
Saing don't buy from people that supports greenie movements, you better get rid of your ford, chevy and dodge trucks because they donate to these orgs....
This is so true and the masses have no idea. A few years back in college i had a paper i did on this. Man it will blow you guys away who supports the big swingers like Nature conservancy, sierra club, blue water network..... etc.
As much as none of us here like it, eco-friendly is hip. Even though our tracks don't last, it doesnt matter. As sledders, we are losing the Public Relations war.
And its all because of what people see in the parking lots. That vast vast majority of the time, the main point of contact of sleders, and other outside winter recreationalists is the snow park. And we've all seen it. Some bone head doing cookies in the parking lot around other people with a sled in the bed of the truck. One other time i saw some guy with a triple and pipes doing cookies, climbing the snow plow ridge and roosting on peoples cars, and just generally being an idiot around a bunch of kids on the tube hill.......... Whats wrong with this picture? If you dont see a problem with that scene, most likely your part of the problem.
If you ride with people like that, you really should talk to them about it. Be polite to the tuber's, cross country skiers and the snow shoe crowd. Don't go ripping by them like a azzhat. Slow down and be courteous (sp?) If ya ever see someone in thier prius or subaru stuck, go help them out.
That would do more for us than anything. I'm not saying don't vote with your wallet, because that is important too. But all i'm trying to say is that if you want to provide zero monetary support to greenie orgs, your going to have a short list of people you can spend money with.
Image is everything folks. We have to improve it. Lets start with putting decent mufflers on everything, fore go the horsepower adders that turn you truck into an 1800's locomotive, and present ourselves better. I love loud and smokey sleds and trucks as much as anyone. But the reality is those days are over.
We have to have the conversation with the groups and people we dont agree with. Even go to some meetings of said greenie groups. Yes, you will be out of place. They may even get nasty about it. Don't be mean back. If we dont do anything, we are the ones who lose, not them.
We have to work harder at this than everyone else.
http://www.sierraclub.org/benefactors/
I spent about 15 seconds and found this link. Even Microsoft supports them. I'll bet 95% of the people on snowest are using windows, Internet explorer, word, excel, or powerpoint either at the moment, or at sometime in their jobs.
REI is on there. Even google.... This is a short list. If a person dug around you'd find you'd find a list with so many house hold names and everyday companies that it would make you sick just thinking about it.
Its not about not spending money with them. If you can avoid it, great. But its tough to do most of the time. We have to start and change the conversation. Its the only shot we have in the long term. Bottom line is they have way more money, lawyers, and people behind thier cause.
