How Jeremy Jones and Protect Our Winters Are Mobilizing the Outdoor Community Against Climate Change
Professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones channels his passion for winter sports into climate advocacy, founding Protect Our Winters to inspire action and protect the planet.
Meet Jeremy Jones: Snowboarder, Advocate, and Founder of Protect Our Winters
Jeremy Jones, widely acknowledged as one of the world’s most accomplished big mountain snowboarders, is much more than a record-setting athlete. For over 30 years, Jones has been at the heart of the snowboarding world, starring in major films and pioneering backcountry riding. Yet, witnessing the rapidly changing mountain landscapes and shortened snow seasons propelled him toward environmental advocacy. In 2007, recognizing a void in organized climate activism within the snowsports community, Jones founded Protect Our Winters (POW), dedicated to using the voice and influence of outdoor enthusiasts to effect systemic climate action.
From Cape Cod to the Highest Peaks: Jeremy Jones’ Journey
Jeremy Jones’ passion for snow started young. Though he grew up on the relatively flat Cape Cod in Massachusetts, frequent family ski trips to Vermont helped foster a deep connection to winter and mountains. Early exposure to the unpredictability and beauty of snowfields inspired not just his athletic ambitions but also a profound concern for environmental stewardship.
Highlights of Jones’ snowboarding career include:
- Ten-time recipient of ”Big Mountain Rider of the Year” by Snowboarder Magazine
- Over 20 film appearances showcasing his riding and expeditions
- Founder and CEO of Jones Snowboards, an award-winning brand specializing in backcountry gear
- Named ”Adventurer of the Year” by National Geographic in 2012
But Jones’ legacy extends beyond athleticism — it is his transition from rider to advocate that exemplifies leadership in both sport and climate action.
The Birth of Protect Our Winters: Addressing a Growing Crisis
As Jones traveled globally, he witnessed firsthand how hotter temperatures and shrinking snowpacks threatened beloved winter spaces and local economies. Disturbed by the lack of focused action within the outdoor industry, he recognized the need to rally outdoor enthusiasts — a group directly tied to the shifting climate — into a unified voice for change.
POW was launched in 2007, as the first climate advocacy group founded within the outdoor sports community. Its mission was clear: to turn outdoor recreationists, athletes, creatives, and companies into vocal and effective climate advocates. This initiative rapidly evolved from a modest idea to a movement involving:
- Over 77,000 members, collectively known as Team POW
- Brand partners, professional athletes, filmmakers, and businesses across the global outdoor economy
- A reach that now influences both public policy and popular opinion
POW’s vision is to depoliticize climate change, making it an issue of community, health, and recreation rather than partisan debate.
Why the Outdoor Community? Understanding POW’s Strategy
The outdoor recreation sector in the United States alone supports approximately 7.6 million jobs and represents $887 billion in annual economic activity. These communities — from ski towns to climbing hubs — are on the front lines of climate change. Decreasing snowfalls hurt tourism, recreation, local economies, and the very identity of mountain regions.
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Protect Our Winters employs several key strategies:
- Mobilizing influential athletes and creatives who can communicate urgency and optimism through their story and reach
- Forging partnerships with outdoor brands to advocate for corporate responsibility and sustainable practices
- Educating, inspiring, and activating a broad community through events, advocacy campaigns, and policy engagement
A core belief underpinning POW’s approach is that protecting our winters is about more than snow — it is about safeguarding clean air, water, and a healthy planet for all.
Advocacy in Action: From Grassroots to Policy
Protect Our Winters has grown into a widely respected organization thanks to its multilayered approach. Jones and Team POW have:
- Launched mass awareness campaigns highlighting the impact of climate change on winter sports and mountain communities
- Organized advocacy trips and testimony to state and federal governments, including meetings with Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C.
- Published documentaries and films such as Purple Mountains, which explores diverse perspectives and seeks common political ground for climate action
- Supported educational programs that empower the next generation to become climate advocates
Notably, Jeremy Jones’ testimony and public speaking have brought the realities lived on the mountains to policymaker’s doorsteps. His efforts have bridged a crucial gap between scientific data and everyday experience.
Breaking Down the Barriers: Depoliticizing Climate Change
One of the unique aspects of Jones’ advocacy is the explicit effort to move climate conversation away from the polarized political arena. By focusing on the shared joy of outdoor recreation and recognizing what is truly at stake — clean air, clean water, local jobs, and future winters — POW is making climate action accessible to a much larger segment of the population.
Key principles include:
- Storytelling through sport and personal experiences instead of partisan or technical rhetoric
- Highlighting economic and community impacts, not just environmental damages
- Building coalitions across industry boundaries, bringing together athletes, companies, and lawmakers
This approach emphasizes inclusion, hope, and proactive solutions rather than fear and division.
Economic Imperatives: The Cost of Inaction
The outdoor industry’s economic influence is a driving force behind POW’s policy engagement. With millions of jobs and billions in economic output threatened by declining winters, POW draws attention to the financial cost of inaction alongside environmental and social harms.
| Impact Area | Details |
|---|---|
| Outdoor Jobs | 7.6 million in the U.S. alone; major employer in mountain and rural communities |
| Annual Revenue | Outdoor industry generates $887 billion in economic revenue each year |
| Local Economies | Many communities rely on consistent snowfall for winter tourism and recreation-based income |
| Climate Threats | Shorter seasons, poor snowpack, risk to water resources, increased wildfire risk |
By aligning environmental values with economic realities, POW makes a stronger, more inclusive argument for urgent action.
Purple Mountains: Finding Hope through Storytelling
In 2020, Jeremy Jones released Purple Mountains — a documentary that journeys through America’s divided climate landscape. The film seeks to understand different viewpoints and find common ground among people who care about nature, but disagree on solutions. Jones’ approach blends empathy with urgency, focusing on real conversations and the search for unity in the fight for a better climate future.
The impact of such storytelling efforts includes:
- Raising public awareness beyond the core outdoor community
- Encouraging dialogue across ideological divides
- Presenting climate action as an inclusive movement
POW’s Expanding Influence: Engaging the Next Generation
The reach of Protect Our Winters continues to grow, branching into new regions, sports, and generations. Initiatives include:
- Youth education programs focused on empowering students to become advocates
- Mentorship and leadership training for young athletes and activists
- Broader alliances with businesses, elected officials, and international partners
The organization’s 2029 Strategic Plan and annual reports mark a blueprint for amplifying its advocacy, measuring impact, and adapting to emerging challenges.
How to Get Involved: Turning Passion Into Action
Protect Our Winters invites all who love the outdoors to play an active role. Ways to participate include:
- Joining Team POW as a member or ambassador
- Participating in local advocacy days and climate education programs
- Spreading the word on social media using provided resources and toolkits
- Supporting policy initiatives and climate-positive legislation through petitions and public comment
- Encouraging outdoor brands and retailers to make sustainable choices
As Jeremy Jones says, “We don’t have a day to waste.” Every outdoor enthusiast represents the potential for transformative change.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What inspired Jeremy Jones to start Protect Our Winters?
A: Jones saw firsthand the dramatic changes in snowpack and winter season length during his professional snowboarding career and realized the outdoor community needed an organized platform to fight climate change, ultimately leading him to found POW in 2007.
Q: What is the mission of Protect Our Winters?
A: POW’s mission is to mobilize the outdoor community — athletes, brands, and enthusiasts — to advocate for systemic solutions to climate change, with an emphasis on protecting snowy winters and healthy outdoor spaces for future generations.
Q: Who can join or support POW?
A: Anyone with a passion for the outdoors, regardless of background or skill level, can join Team POW. The organization works with athletes, businesses, students, and everyday outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Q: How does POW seek to create change in climate policy?
A: POW combines grassroots activism with top-down policy advocacy: raising awareness, providing education, meeting lawmakers, inspiring voters, and promoting climate-positive legislation at local, state, and federal levels.
Q: What are some of POW’s most notable projects or impacts?
A: POW has catalyzed national media campaigns, held advocacy summits, produced films like Purple Mountains, and influenced Congressional hearings. Its growing network and partnerships are shaping the global climate conversation.
Towards a Brighter, Snowier Future
Jeremy Jones’ journey from professional snowboarder to climate advocate embodies the spirit of Protect Our Winters: blending a love for adventure with a responsibility to act. Through storytelling, policy engagement, and mobilization of the outdoor community, POW continues to set the standard for climate advocacy rooted in shared passion for the natural world. As winter faces unprecedented threats, Jones and his allies are working ceaselessly to ensure a future where snowy mountains, clean air, and thriving communities endure for generations to come.
References
- https://www.skiutah.com/blog/authors/tom-kelly/jeremy-jones-sustainability/
- https://protectourwinters.org/about-pow/
- https://protectourwinters.org/alliance/jeremy-jones/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Jones_(freerider)
- https://festival.outsideonline.com/ideas/jeremy-jones
- https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/champions/community-resilience-leaders/jeremy-jones
- https://americanpistachios.org/meet-our-ambassadors/jeremy-jones
- https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2023/06/jeremy-jones-founder-of-pow-and-professional-snowboarder/
- https://www.jonessnowboards.com/pages/our-story
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