Headed in the Right Direction

Anthropologist Elizabeth Kapu'uwailani Lindsey once said, "True navigation begins in the human heart. It's the most important map of all." Compass Outdoors, a new outdoor gear and apparel company based in Washington state, embodies those words.

Before going any further, in the interest of full disclosure, I know one of the company's co-founders.

Following in the footsteps of companies like Patagonia and Klean Kanteen, Compass Outdoors places environmental ethics at its heart. The company logo, which consists of a compass pointing toward the Pacific Northwest's iconic Mount Rainier, gives the sense that Compass Outdoors knows what's important to it and where it's going. Looking more closely, the company has the stated objective of, "Using business to help create awareness and support for environmental issues." Such ethics influence the business model as well with five percent of each purchase going to support the national parks.

The launch of the company Web site last Wednesday marked the first step in Compass Outdoors' journey toward its core vision. The initial offering of six products, including an insulated bottle, a shirt, and hats will soon expand with additional items. To see the current selection, click here.

Compass Outdoors also plans to pursue a better environment by carving a path beyond simply selling products. Its Web site will expand in the future with a companion blog that spotlights environmental issues by featuring individuals working to address those concerns. Such issues did put the company on its path after all.

Knowing what Compass Outdoors set out to achieve and the reasons at the heart of that objective makes me excited to see where the company goes. It's clear they have a good navigation system.

Graduating with a B

For graduation gifts, I turned to Plan B (as in B Corporations).

One of my cousins graduates from high school this year, and my gifts to her are slightly out of the ordinary. First, I made a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation, which will now plant 20 trees in her name. (To learn more about this program, click here.) In addition, my cousin will receive products from Klean Kanteen, which I previously blogged about here, and Ecobags, which I covered here.

What Klean Kanteen and Ecobags represent led me to choose them to celebrate my cousin's accomplishment. Both companies are B Corporations, which commit to socially and environmentally ethical ways of operating. Check out a video describing B Corporation certification below, and click here for more information:



In college and her life beyond, my cousin will make a positive impact on the world, and I wanted her graduation gifts to do the same. The Arbor Day Foundation's trees will stand and mark her achievement for years, and she'll have responsibly made, reusable items that replace disposable ones, decreasing her planetary footprint.

If you're still searching for graduation gifts, consider taking this opportunity to "B" different.

Bottled Up

One great thing you can do to limit the things you have to buy, cut down on the resources you use, help the planet, and limit your exposure to chemicals is to buy a stainless steel water bottle.

I have used Klean Kanteen water bottles for two years, and I recommend them.
Note: Do not buy the Sport Cap 2.0. The company is recalling them because some have broken apart. If you have purchased one, call Klean Kanteen at (877) 546-9063. They do have other caps from which to choose.

Update: Klean Kanteen now has the High Impact Sport Cap 2.0. This is supposed to address the issue of the previous Sport Cap 2.0 breaking apart. I got my high impact caps as part of Klean Kanteen's recall program.

How they help:

1. Using them instead of buying bottled water cuts down on the amount of plastic we use.
a. This will help prevent more islands of plastic from forming in the ocean. (Indeed, they are out there.)
b. It also cuts down on the resources needed for production and recycling. (Yes, recycling is good when necessary, but not having to use in the first place is even better.)
c. It also cuts down on our need for oil. (That's right, although new resources such as corn are being used to produce plastic bottles, most bottles are still made from plastic derived from oil.)

2. They are better for you.
a. Stainless steel is easy to keep clean.
b. Also, stainless steel does not contain chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA), the reputation of which has been clouded by questions about their impact on human health.

3. They are sturdy, so you will get a great deal of use out of them.

You can visit the Klean Kanteen Web site by clicking here.

You can buy the bottles at Amazon.com.