Pro Snowboarder Fights to "Save Our Winters"

© Jeremy Jones

It was in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, where reality slapped pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones in the face. Long a fan of the board-friendly locale thanks to its thrilling decents, chilly temperatures and friendly locals, Jones could not believe what he was seeing: the landscape was void of snow; only grass and rocks covered the ground.

"We have been skiing here all of our lives," one local skier told him. "In twenty years we have gone from riding 60 or 70 days a season to now, if we're lucky, a day every few years."

Distraught with what was happening to some of the best skiable terrain in the world, Jones created the non-profit organization, Protect Our Winters, the first foundation dedicated to inspiring the winter sports community to fight for what they love – freezing temperatures and nature-made precipitation.

With the goal of affecting the environmental actions of North America, Protect Our Winters (POW) seeks to inspire interaction between large non-profit foundations and the masses. And, with programs like Solar 4R Schools, POW is creating a new path for change. I caught up with Jones recently in his hometown of Truckee, California to discuss what is so special about POW, and about the things he's  personally doing to make a change toward sustainability.

What was it that inspired you to take your feelings from Prince Rupert and turn them into a non-profit for the environment?

I was expanding a product line called the Jones Experience and wanted to give a percentage of sales back to the environment. I did some research and couldn’t find what I wanted in the winter sports world. There wasn’t anything out there that I found inspiring. That just wasn’t the answer I was looking for. I was busy and wanted to write a check and be done with it. But after a couple of months I decided that this was something that’s important and that needs to be done.

Knowing that this is a long term problem, I think probably the birth of my daughter had something to do with it, as well. Our actions now will benefit the future lives of our kids.

And what does Save Our Winters do that other non-profits don’t?

I wanted something were every dollar raised went straight to slowing down global warming. There were good carbon offset companies, like 1 Percent for the Planet, who we partner with now, but it kept coming back to needing something that was targeting people…something that made people and companies go “I want to be associated with that foundation”.

We also want to concentrate on cleaning up our mountains and our mountain towns, first. That is our initial focus.

What changes have you made in your own life to help global warming?

I’ve looked closely at my own lifestyle and my life as a pro snowboarder. One change would be driving a Ford Focus instead of a Dodge pick-up. Another would be my 1960s house. I am continually working on changing out the windows, appliances and insulation.

As a professional snowboarder that’s been a harder deal. I am still doing a lot air travel and using helicopters for access in Alaska…but I have eliminated my snowmobile use.

Another thing we have done is support movies like “My Own Two Feet”, a snowboard film based out of the Sierras that is centered around hiking for big mountain descents. That is something that I put a lot of time and energy. I feel that it is a great message, not only environmentally, but also to inspire people to understand great freeriding is only a short hike away.

What is the biggest way that the winter sport community can help shift global warming?

I think that are a lot of simple steps that we can do. Everything from carpooling to changing the kind of light bulbs you are using. Basic stuff. If everyone curbs their carbon foot print by ten percent it makes a big difference. We’re not trying to get people to stop living their lives…just adapt.