A Sliver Of Wild

How remote does a space need to be for you to consider it wild? Is it rugged mountains, sprawling wildflower meadows, or vast expanses of rushing water carving its way through rocky canyons? If any of these three examples came to mind, you’re certainly not wrong by any means. However, we often tend to overlook the smaller slivers of wild space that lie right under our noses in day to day life. Cities have a way of swallowing the traditional look and feel of the natural places that once dominated any given landscape prior to development. Overtime we as humans have failed to maintain the same level of respect for these slivers of urban nature, as we have true wilderness.

During a recent trip to Denver, Colorado for the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow, our team had the opportunity to partner up with Keep Nature Wild, Hydroflask, Granite Gear, and handful of other great outdoor brands for a quick city cleanup prior to the start of the show. Volunteers met along a stretch of the South Platte River that runs through Denver’s downtown area, to kick things off. Gloves, grabbers, and trash bags were handed out to the crew and everyone set out along the river to pick up every piece of litter and debris within sight.

It was a great opportunity to connect with others in the industry who share a passion for maintaining natural spaces, no matter how big or small. Over the course of an hour, the teams amassed 1,460 pounds of trash left along the banks of the river. Everything from plastic cups to coffee makers were extracted and disposed of after the cleanup was over. It was a great reminder of how lucky we are to have these incredible expanses of wild space, and how important it is to do our part regardless of how remote that space might be.

Thank you to all of the volunteers and brands that helped make this event happen!