Courtesy of Patagonia
Patagonia to Close Stores and Offices in Support of Climate Strike 2019
The brand also launched a campaign featuring youth activists including Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and Jamie Margolin.
By Erin Nicole Celletti
Last night, Patagonia announced they will be closing stores and offices today as they are, "joining in solidarity with the youth activists peacefully striking for climate action and demanding that governments address the climate crisis."
Having long been supportive of environmental and social action while being conscious of their environmental impact, the brand is, "encouraged and inspired by the young activists calling for climate action and agrees with them that it is past time to make the necessary changes needed to address our overheating planet."
To help support and lift up the voices of these inspiring youth activists, Patagonia launched the Facing Extinction campaign with robust advertising efforts featuring the activists across digital and print mediums with a focus along strike routes in cities across the world. The brand will be using moving, striking photographs of young activists with the words "facing extinction" appearing across their faces along with essays and videos appearing on both the company's website and September journal.
Featured activists include Alexandra Villaseñor, 14, from New York City who says, "I strike because my generation will be the impacted the most by the climate crisis. MTV reports Villaseñor was inspired to take action first after suffering an asthma attack as a result of wildfire, and also seeing Greta Thunberg protest in her native Sweden.
Jamie Margolin, 17, from Seattle, Washington says, "I strike, organize and protest for my life, for my future, for my world, for the beauty around me and to protect what is yet to be lost." Margolin, along with friend Nadia Nazar founded the youth climate action organization Zero Hour, and just joined Greta Thunberg at Congress earlier this week to demand they, "listen to the scientists" who are advocating against global warming.
Also featured is Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, 19, who says, "I organize in honor of my ancestors, for those who fought for the world we live in today and for future generations who will inherit the planet we are leaving behind." Martinez is the founder of Earth Guardians, which, "trains diverse youth to be effective leaders in the environmental, climate and social justice movements across the globe" and co-founder of Generation Now, which aims to reverse the climate crisis.
He also joined Thunberg, Margolin, and other young activists this week in testifying at the United Nations General Assembly on Climate Change.
The "clear and urgent" message from Patagonia? "We must act on climate now because, without profound changes, humans could end up on the endangered species list." Their website also asks visitors to "Act Now" and "Answer With Action" by sending a letter through a digital form, and encourages all concerned citizens to text CLIMATE to 71333 to, "tell Congress there is no room in government for climate deniers."
President and CEO Rose Marcario also issued a supportive statement saying, "We all must make it clear to our elected leaders that there is no room in government for climate deniers and their inaction is killing us. We need our leaders to act on the science and follow the market forces—do their jobs and create policies that protect our planet and our communities. Our customers are demanding we act—this generation of youth is not backing down and neither should we."
Patagonia joins Lush, Outdoor Voices, Opening Ceremony, and more eco-conscious brands in support of Climate Strike 2019.
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