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How to be an Imperfect Advocate and Pursue Outdoor Adventures in a Changing Climate with Alpinist Graham Zimmerman
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When talking about huge, scary topics like climate, it's easy to get all doom 'n' gloom. But nothing is ever black and white.
Graham Zimmerman is an award-winning professional alpinist who's climbed across Alaska, Patagonia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and all over the lower 48 and Canada. He holds leadership roles in a range of nonprofits and outdoor companies, including the American Alpine Club and Protect Our Winters and uses climbing as a medium for bigger conversations.
In his 2023 book, "A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains", Graham grapples with how to reconcile the love of outdoor adventure with the cost of such endeavors, both human and environmental.
Having faced grief and personal loss in the mountains, as well as witnessing firsthand the effects of climate change on these beloved places, Graham joins us to share about the balance of pursuing alpinism with social responsibility above all.
We talk about…
- The trade-offs of alpinism: losing people you love, loneliness, marriage pressures
- Seeing dramatic changes in the alpine that affect not only the environment, but the communities who live there.
- Behind the scenes of writing his book, “A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains”
- Becoming an “imperfect advocate” in the face of the climate crisis: You don’t have to give up travel or your needs.
- Systemic change as a top priority to fight the climate crisis
- Using stories instead of straight-up facts to drive action
- How outdoor athletes are already primed to take climate action and how we can all make positive change in what we’re already doing
- A dual love story of climbing and Graham’s wife, Shannon: How to balance a strong relationship when he feels like a “shitty husband” while on expeditions
- Realizing that being a whole person who is present in relationships makes him a better climber, when the message he got when young was that you can only focus on climbing and climbing alone
- Juggling being an athlete, advocate, filmmaker, volunteer, husband, and more (the multi-hyphenate life)
- Being intentional with limited time: glass balls vs. rubber balls
How to connect with Graham:
Book, A Fine Line: https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/a-fine-line-searching-for-balance-among-mountains
👋How to connect with Jeni and Angie:
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