The struggle to pry kids away from screens can be traced back for decades, even if the specific devices have evolved. When I was young, it was television; what better way to decompress from school than with an afternoon block of cartoons and M*A*S*H reruns?听These days it鈥檚 the phone; kids can kill a whole morning going full zombie听mode on TikTok videos and text messages. But no matter the era or screen of choice, organized sports have always offered a healthy alternative鈥攍ots of exercise, important lessons about being part of a team, and ample time spent in loud, smelly locker rooms being uncomfortable with your awkward body in various stages of puberty.听

Even before the pandemic, however, the number of youths involved in team sports was beginning to decline. From 2008 to 2018, the participation rate of kids between the ages of听6 and听12 , due largely to the increasing costs, time commitments, and competitive nature of organized sports leagues. And in the wake of most athletic programs getting shut down last spring, three in ten children who previously played听team sports now say they鈥檙e no longer interested in doing so, according to . That鈥檚 a scary statistic, especially as we emerge from an era of seven-hour Zoom-classroom marathons, which has only increased American kids鈥� inactivity levels. If team sports continue to fade away, how will we get children moving again, safely, so that they can still enjoy the benefits of regular exercise? The answer, if we can capitalize听on the recent promising trends, is to capitalize on the growing interest in outdoor activities.听

in October found that 69 percent of Americans reported a听heightened听appreciation for outdoor spaces during the pandemic, while 65 percent said that they try to get outside the house as much as possible. Younger people have been at the forefront of the movement. A found that Gen Zers and millennials (those between 13 and 34 years old) were the most likely cohorts to say that they planned to do more outdoor activities as a result of COVID-19 related shutdowns.听

鈥淚f those numbers are right, it would be the most significant increase in people getting outside for their health and well-being that we鈥檝e ever seen, which would be remarkable,鈥� says Lise Aangeenbrug, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation.听

There鈥檚 a lot of anecdotal evidence that indicates听a huge spike in Americans鈥� interest in outdoor sports. You鈥檝e probably gathered some of this听yourself if you tried to buy a kids鈥� bike this year鈥攖here听was a six-week wait just for a tune-up this summer in Santa Fe,听where I live鈥攐r if you drove along a forest road looking for a trailhead with an empty parking space. But there鈥檚 also plenty of additional research emerging to bolster our belief in the trend.

This year, bicycling became the for kids (up from 16th), according to the Aspen Institute. Yellowstone saw听 than it did the previous year. State parks , as more families got outdoors but stayed closer to home to do so; some parks even ballooned past capacity and had to turn people away or issue warnings and direct visitors to lesser known sites.听

Sales data also gives us some insight into how families are spending their time outside now. According to numbers from L.L.Bean, sales of kayaks and family tents jumped 128 percent and 53 percent this year, respectively. Nationwide sales of camping equipment , a 31 percent increase from the year before.

Even better: these trends haven鈥檛 subsided with the arrival of winter and cold weather. Snowshoe sales at L.L.Bean were up 40 percent, and of winter gear ahead of the holidays in anticipation of all-time highs in consumer demand.听

All this points to a huge opportunity. The question facing Outdoor Foundation and other organizations is how to sustain the momentum.听At the most basic level, it鈥檚 just a matter of people continuing to do something they already enjoy. 鈥淲hen you think about what makes new habits, it鈥檚 to repeat and reinforce the experiences,鈥� says听Aangeenbrug. 鈥淎nd [the pandemic] has gone on long enough that if you got outside in April, because you couldn鈥檛 stand to be in the house one more minute, and you kept going outside and you kept having good experiences with your family and your kids听and you did it enough, the likelihood is higher that it鈥檚 something that鈥檚 going to be a part of your life.鈥� In听other words, if your听kids love听getting outside to hike or climb, make sure you continue to provide those opportunities even after the pandemic has subsided.

The increased interest in outdoor recreation also presents an听opportunity to diversify the participants. Stephanie Maez, Outdoor Foundation鈥檚 managing director, says the organization is now awaiting the results of research that will听better help it understand this year鈥檚 outdoor newcomers, offering the chance to grow the number听of kids getting outside in underserved communities. 鈥淔or us it鈥檚 about identifying what those motivating factors are for new participants, and doubling down on the communities we鈥檙e currently investing in, and looking at other communities that have the need,鈥� says Maez.听

One clear trend among those听embracing outdoor recreation for the first time during the pandemic has been the desire for easy access to trails and other close-to-home greenspaces. 鈥淥ur industry has an opportunity听to recognize that the outdoors can be just outside your doorstep, not just faraway nature,鈥� says Aangeenbrug. Last year鈥檚 passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, which听fully financed听the Land and Water Conservation Fund, could finally address the need for more hiking and听biking trails, along with additional听parks in places where greenspace is听limited. Expanding outdoor infrastructure听will go a long way toward sustaining interest levels and bringing even more people into the activities that a lot of us who have been doing these things for a long time tend to take for granted.听

No one should root for the disappearance of team sports, which provide kids with vital life lessons and help build community bonds. Still, their听decline shouldn鈥檛听leave us feeling resigned to declining activity rates for another generation of kids. But we have to capitalize on the momentum we built in 2020. We have to go out of our way as individuals to make the outdoors more welcoming. Instead of mourning the loss of this season鈥檚 rec basketball league, have your kid invite a couple of friends from last year鈥檚 team for a hike. That听might just听spark someone鈥檚 passion鈥攁 vastly more satisfying experience than watching syndicated episodes of M*A*S*H.

The post Team Sports Are on the Decline. And That’s OK. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Last year, when I decided to get my 11-year-old son a fitness tracker, it didn鈥檛 involve a lot of careful deliberation. The truth is, 国产吃瓜黑料 (my former place of employment) was hosting its annual outdoor-gear giveaway for staffers, and,听in a rare moment of selflessness, I听decided I鈥檇 nab something for him instead of stuffing yet another men鈥檚 large ski jacket into my swag bag. I chose a , a full-featured wearable that I figured he could happily nerd out on in his idle time. Two weeks later, the watch was only logging neglect, stashed on his desk right next to a dead bonsai tree and a weekly planner that didn鈥檛 appear to have been used in months.

Looking back now, perhaps I was fortunate. You can spend anywhere from $50 to $500 on one of these nifty little devices for your kids this holiday season, and it鈥檚 highly likely they鈥檒l grow bored of it just as quickly as my son did. That鈥檚 a costly mistake, Santa. What鈥檚 more, what if your kid actually loves the thing? As I discovered recently, while researching this story, choosing to place a smartwatch on a child鈥檚 wrist is a more fraught decision than I imagined. There鈥檚 no question that these gadgets can be great for encouraging children to stay active. There are also some surprising downsides, ones much worse than simply finding your marquee holiday purchase among the pile of forgotten gifts on a听dusty corner of their desk.

Fitness trackers, everything from simple step counters to the latest version of the Apple Watch, are big business鈥攁 $30 billion market in 2019, .听The category is expected to be worth more than $90 billion by 2027. It was a growth industry before COVID hit, but the global pandemic has only pushed for the devices higher. Since you鈥檙e an 国产吃瓜黑料 reader, I鈥檓 guessing there鈥檚 a good chance that you鈥檙e one of nearly who used a wearable device last year.

Affluent adults (, about 31 percent of U.S. adults) and people 听still make up the largest groups of users. However, companies are increasing their push to target听younger users. Garmin is one of the OGs in this field, having introduced the Vivofit Jr. in 2016. Fitbit rolled out the Ace 2 last year, an updated version of the stripped-down wristband that debuted in 2018 that it markets for ages six听and up. And while Apple doesn鈥檛 position its smartwatch for kids, I know I can鈥檛 be the only parent out there who has had to laugh off their child鈥檚 request for the new $300 Series 6.

When you see the sales pitches for the youth-targeted devices, it鈥檚 easy to think听they鈥檙e听being put out there for the greater social good. The global childhood-obesity epidemic gets top billing in Fitbit鈥檚 for the Ace 2. A for the Vivofit Jr. delivers a similar message鈥攚hile looking and sounding exactly like the upbeat, inspirational commercials we鈥檙e used to seeing for everything from rowing machines to yoga pants.

The selling point isn鈥檛 entirely off base: the monitoring devices get children moving, whether they鈥檙e being motivated by the games and rewards on the tracker听or by a parent behind the scenes using the information to push听them to be more active. That said,听more critical assessments of the devices argue that they can take the fun out of play, or that they can be a .听A of people in their teens and twenties in the International Journal of Eating Disorders revealed that those who used trackers as a way 鈥渢o manage weight and shape reported higher levels of eating and compulsive exercise psychopathology than those who reported using tools to improve health and fitness.鈥�

Kids, especially younger ones, are predisposed to be active. The notion of strapping a device to their wrist and forcing them to move feels dystopian, as if we鈥檝e abandoned the idea听that play is foremost about having fun. Do we really want to turn children into fitness robots听mindlessly accruing more and more steps? Then again, in an era when log the recommended one hour of exercise a day, perhaps some tech intervention is warranted.

To help me sort through the debate, I reached out to Dr. Blaise Nemeth, an associate professor and provider at the . The first thing he points out is that fitness trackers are still a relatively new phenomenon, and the research into their effects on children is limited.

Nemeth uses trackers with young people in his pediatric fitness programs, but his focus is on helping kids make a听connection between how much they鈥檙e moving and how they feel. Research shows that people feel better and study or work more effectively when they are more active. So at the clinic where he practices, Nemeth uses the devices merely as a feedback tool to teach kids how to recognize the ways they perform differently in school, sports, or work on days when听they鈥檙e more active.

Trackers, Nemeth said, can also be useful for busy teenagers. With homework and an ever expanding list of extracurricular commitments, teens often bump exercise down their priority lists. If they鈥檙e stressed or having a tough time focusing, a quick-glance prompt from their smartwatch can serve as a reminder to get up and get moving for a bit, even if it鈥檚 just taking the dog on a walk around the neighborhood.

However, there are some things parents should consider before buying one. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 being forced on them, it can create conflict between parents and kids and undermine the objective to have fun moving their bodies,鈥� says Nemeth. 鈥淜ids tend to use them more when they鈥檙e the ones who want them, when they鈥檙e the ones in charge of the information. They tend to use them less, and they鈥檙e less happy with them, when the parents are in charge of it and parents are in charge of the information.鈥�

To avoid the potential pitfalls that come with fitness trackers, you have to honestly assess your motivations for buying one鈥攁nd those of the person you鈥檙e buying it for. Is your kid an anxious type, one who might end up obsessing over the data at the expense of having actual fun? (If they听end听up pacing the hallways at night to reach their听step count before bedtime, no one鈥檚 really benefiting.) If your child is struggling with body-image issues, know that one of these devices could exacerbate that. And while it may be difficult to admit, if you鈥檙e the kind of parent that tends to hover, own up to it and skip the tracker.

That said, if you鈥檙e just looking for a fun way to help your kids be more active鈥攐r make their holiday dreams come true鈥攁 fitness tracker can still be a good option. Just don鈥檛 forget your role in all this. Taking the time to share the joy of hiking, running, skiing, basketball鈥攚hatever outdoor activity you love鈥攚ith your kids will be way more effective in the long run than a swanky $400 watch.

The post So Your Kid Wants a Fitness Tracker appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

My wife and I are about an hour into a hike up Atalaya Peak, a 9,000-foot mountain overlooking our hometown of Santa Fe. It鈥檚 a moderately difficult six-mile trail to the top and back, and we鈥檝e just arrived at the final stretch, where the ascent gets steep. Our only child, 11-year-old Henry, is still talking. And talking. In fact, he hasn鈥檛 closed his mouth since we stepped out of the car at the trailhead.听

For 90 minutes, Henry鈥檚 been describing his ideal home, a stream-of-conscience presentation about a 13-story building in a city somewhere (I think it鈥檚 New York; there are a lot of details to keep track of). His dream house mostly consists of some pretty swank rooms for playing video games and watching movies, but there is also a chef鈥檚 kitchen and pool tucked somewhere into the design.

鈥淲hat do you think? Does that sound like a cool place to live?鈥� he asks.

鈥淵eah, pretty expensive though. You鈥檇 better work hard and get a good job,鈥� I reply, checking the dad box by transforming something innocuous into a teachable moment. 鈥淥K, I have to focus on my breathing now, so if I don鈥檛 say much, that鈥檚 why,鈥� I tell him, feeling like a real jerk for basically announcing to my听son that I need a little break from his chatter.

It鈥檚 been a terrible year for all of us, especially kids. The pandemic听has eliminated the kind of routine social interaction we鈥檝e all taken for granted. No team sports, no movies, no museums, no sleepovers, no playdates. Parents face the dual tasks of making sure their听kids are getting the physical activity they need as well as trying to replace the lost hours of socialization. Fortunately, our family has at least had miles and miles of hikes to fill some of that void on both fronts.听

But it has been an adjustment. These are not quiet, contemplative walks in nature. Not with Henry. Each outing is part extended soliloquy听but also part endless Q and A听session. Like a lot of kids his age, my son asks a lot of questions. So. Many. Questions. Answering them all can feel like too much to bear sometimes, especially when I simply听want to admire听the changing leaves, listen to a stream roll by, or just not collapse while dragging myself up a slope.听

But as the pandemic summer passed by, our hikes have revealed themselves as essential learning experiences and a vital way to stay sane as a family. Given their sudden outsize importance, I had some questions of my own鈥攍ike, what drives a kid to filibuster like this, and am I听doing right by my son in our outdoor classroom? So I reached out to an expert听for guidance.听

鈥淭he brain, like other body parts, needs exercise to stay healthy,鈥� says听Tracy Inman, associate director of the Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University. 鈥淔or our cardiac health, we know it鈥檚 important to do aerobic exercise, complete with sweating, huffing, and puffing. Athletic sweat looks very different from academic sweat. The gifted brain thrives on novelty and complexity. So听your son鈥檚 endless questions strengthen his brain. He鈥檚 connecting that new information you provide to what he already knows, understands, or is able to do. The more complex the information, the more his brain works.鈥�

Apparently,听we鈥檙e doing something right: we try听our best to answer all of his queries, and he knows that no topic is off-limits. That has made for some uncomfortable moments, such as听when I had to explain why the internet thinks are so hilarious. (The first one was easy to decode; the latter听required mild obfuscation.) Or: 鈥淲hy are golden retrievers such bad dogs?鈥� which he asked within earshot of people walking with two of them (without a leash, of course).

There are also the more serious questions, though, the things we have to talk about to make sense of what鈥檚 happening in the world. Those have spurred discussions about issues like racial inequality and gender identity听that might never have taken place while stealing moments between after-school activities and work deadlines in a pre-COVID world. I鈥檓 thankful that we鈥檝e had the time on our hikes to talk through important and uncomfortable subjects听without the interruptions of daily life.听

We also use the hikes to ask Henry听questions. 鈥淟istening is a given, but asking him questions is just as important,鈥� says Inman. 鈥淨uestions prove you are interested in what he is saying and serve as a way for him to dig a bit deeper.鈥�

So even though I don鈥檛 understand most of the details he offers up in a half-hour description of how he would design his perfect video game or the layout for his proposed 100,000-square foot townhome, we ask for more information about it. An added bonus: it鈥檚 a welcome distraction when the hike starts to get difficult.

Our long-winded walking-and-talking sessions also address听the socialization challenge the pandemic continues to present, according to Inman. This surprised me.听It鈥檚 been eight months since my son鈥檚 been around kids his age, and while听I like to think that we鈥檙e pretty cool parents (I mean, his grandparents would鈥檝e never let him watch Superbad), I know we can get boring. On our hikes, however, he鈥檚 getting to spend time with what Inman refers to as his 鈥渋dea-mates,鈥� helping to satisfy his curiosity. Each conversation promotes his intellectual and emotional development.

While marathon conversations can be as exhausting as a slog up a mountain, they鈥檝e听also been a learning experience for us. No adventure you鈥檒l read about on this site is as nerve-racking as taking care of a kid, but each trip is like a progress report, some assurance that we鈥檙e not raising a future junk-bond trader or an internet troll.

Most meaningful of all is that this is time we spend together. His teenage years are just over听the horizon; it won鈥檛 be long until he鈥檒l need and want to do other things besides hiking with his parents.听I鈥檒l miss every long minute of these conversations when that time comes. And as much it tests our endurance, at this point, I鈥檓 afraid nature will听sound lonely without his nonstop chatter.

The post A Parent’s Guide to Hiking with a Chatterbox appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

1. Forum Phi Architecture

Location: Aspen and Carbondale, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 28
Average salary: $96,000
Vacation time: 29 days PTO to start, increases by a week with every five years

Perks: Complimentary ski pass; powder days; hosted outings like river floats, scavenger hunts, hut trips, and barbecues in the park; $50 per month internet reimbursement; flexible parenting setups to accommodate the constraints of in-home schooling; and an additional week of PTO this year because of COVID-19 concerns.

What makes it听great: 鈥淔orum Phi treats its employees like individuals and strives to balance the constraints of work with the needs of each person鈥檚 everyday life. Our transition to remote work during the pandemic was seamless, and although we filed a COVID plan to reopen the offices with the local governments, we are recommending people still stay remote as much as possible out of concern for the well-being of the team and the community. We are still promoting people to get outside and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us with group mountain bike rides weekly and socially distanced company outings.鈥�

2. GroundFloor Media

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 23
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Weekly 30-minute virtual social activity called听Get Connected to Stay Grounded; weekly check-ins with coworkers through the company鈥檚听Pandemic Partners program; socially distant hikes; meeting-free Monday and Friday mornings.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲e鈥檝e always had an extremely flexible workplace. The autonomy of the office is one of our biggest selling points. People can work at their own time and what works best for their lives.鈥�

3. Ergodyne

Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Focus:
Number of employees: 58
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Employee wellness program featuring virtual yoga on Monday鈥檚 and virtual 5Ks听every month,听on-site gym,听interactive online team meetings,听virtual happy hours,听and virtual trivia nights led by the executive team.

What makes it听great: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a vibrant culture where we really encourage socializing and getting to know your colleagues. We have a high-performing culture but also grant a lot of freedom. When we are in the office, we have monthly happy hours, cook-off competitions, Halloween parties, and Easter egg hunts for the families. We offer summer hours from May to September since our Minnesota summers are short and we want our employees to get outside and stay active.鈥�

4. Bonusly

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 50
Average salary: $108,653
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: $500 wellness benefit,听one-time $150 work-from-home stipend,听$2,000 annual professional development benefit,听$40/week meal reimbursement,听an FSA option,听virtual happy hours,听a 鈥渞elax from home鈥� day every second Friday of the month to help prevent burnout, and a听$25 bonus for those who get their flu shots.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲e live and breathe our product鈥攔ecognition has an incredible impact on organizations and creating cultures where people can thrive. Our entire team continues to see all the amazing work happening across the organization, no matter where people are physically located. Our culture is unlike any other鈥攚e care deeply about our team, instill a sense of purpose through our product, and give meaningful feedback that helps our people grow individually and as a team.鈥�

5. WhippleWood CPAs

Location: Littleton, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 26
Average salary: $80,156
Vacation time: 16 days PTO to start

Perks: Half-day summer Fridays,听professional massages during tax season,听Zen room,听401(k),听parking lot skate 鈥渂oard鈥� meetings,听COVID-19 wellness bingo with cash prizes,听socially distanced events.

What makes it听great: 鈥淭he best thing about working at WhippleWood is our culture. From the very top, our leaders live what they preach鈥攁 unique place to work where you are challenged and given room to grow with the help you need. Our industry can be stressful, and this year has been an extra challenge, with a seven-month tax season as opposed to our usual four. Knowing that our leadership has the best interest of not only our clients听but also our team and our families听has been a relief to so many of our staff during this time.鈥�

6. Booyah Advertising

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 57
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start, unlimited after one year

Perks: Flex scheduling,听401(k),听employee health insurance with no-cost option,听award-winning internal management training,听dog-friendly office,听annual all-agency outings,听quarterly team events,听beer and kombucha on tap,听and an espresso machine.

What makes it听great: 鈥淏ooyah provides an environment to learn, grow, and find fulfillment both in career and life. Robust and continuous training programs signal our commitment to growth and education. Through this educational focus, employees rarely feel stagnant and are motivated to do their best work. We also give employees substantial autonomy in the day to day, yielding fulfillment and rapid growth.鈥�

7. BridgeView IT

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 17
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO to start, unlimited after five years

Perks: Annual, all-inclusive trips to places like Cabo San Lucas,听Aspen, Las Vegas, and Steamboat Springs; half-day summer Fridays; dog-friendly office; on-site gym; professional massages; a fridge stocked with beer and wine; opening-day Colorado Rockies games; a luxury watch on your fifth anniversary; powder days; birthdays off; and paid volunteering days.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲ith the right culture for personal and professional success, it鈥檚 clear that people are the top priority at BridgeView IT. Flexible work schedules, skiing days, community outreach events, fun trips, and more create a rewarding environment. Plus, the response to COVID has been听stellar, with the company introducing ongoing fitness challenges to provide a healthy outlet for comradery and charitable giving.鈥�

8. SummitCove Vacation Lodging

Location: Keystone, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 48
Average salary: $45,000
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start

Perks: Health insurance plans; a 401(k)听retirement program with employer matching; profit-sharing bonus program; Way to Go听peer-recognition program; ski pass reimbursement; discounted rec center passes; pro deals on outdoor gear; group activities such as whitewater rafting, rock climbing, ropes course, and hikes; and staff bikes available in the office.

What makes it听great: 鈥淭he company understands that we all live in the mountains to enjoy them! Flexible scheduling, ski pass reimbursement, health insurance,听and more all play a part in making that mountain lifestyle a reality. Leaders at SummitCove work on empowering and educating employees to be able make their own decisions and do what鈥檚 best for the company. Team members feel pride and ownership in their work and are able to see the results making a difference.鈥�

9. BSW Wealth Partners

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 26
Average salary: $144,000
Vacation time: Prorated PTO in year one,听ten days PTO in year two

Perks: Annual, all-inclusive ski trips; whitewater rafting, kayaking, Iron Chef鈥搒tyle competitions, and go-kart racing on summer days; remote work options; and gift cards to support local, independent restaurants.

What makes it great: 鈥淏SW conducts amazing work for truly inspiring clients, work that employees go home feeling really good about. The company鈥檚 tagline, 鈥楳ake Life Better,鈥� says it all. No organization could be more supportive of employees鈥櫶齢ealth, wellness, and quality of life, coupled with professional growth and development. The culture here promotes diversity, inclusiveness, collaboration, and support.鈥�

10. Avid4 国产吃瓜黑料

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 27
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Monthly outings to crags, trails, and creeks; free use of company mountain bikes, canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards; free bike tune-ups;听reimbursed climbing gym memberships; an annual three-day mountain retreat; pro deals on gear; anniversary program that rewards full-time staff with branded merchandise, money for outdoor equipment, a one-month paid vacation with a flight and stipend to anywhere in the world; paid sick time for seasonal employees; stipend for staff to set up their home office; and an emergency assistance fund to support seasonal staff with medical, housing, or food needs.

What makes it听great: 鈥淎vid4 国产吃瓜黑料 is special because it asks and leans into the difficult questions. 鈥榃hat is the next right thing to do?鈥� In response to COVID-19, we pivoted (and then pivoted again and again and again) to ensure that we could still serve our kids, parents, and staff who needed us. 鈥楬ow can we fight for inclusion, equity, diversity, and justice?鈥� We choose to recognize our own privilege, and we commit to action against injustice in our country, particularly in all outdoor spaces.鈥�

11. CampMinder

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 55
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Remote work,听virtual happy hours and trivia games,听$300 annual allowance that can be used for internet bills or home office equipment,听childcare reimbursement,听12 weeks of paid parental leave for all new parents,听encouragement to take mental health days,听a recognition program called Love Leafs in which employees are entered to win an end-of-year prize like an all-expense-paid trip.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲e serve summer camps! Our work enables camps to impact hundreds of thousands of kids, providing them with opportunities to learn, be part of a community, and connect with the outdoors and nature.鈥�

12. Mann Mortgage

Location: Kalispell, Montana
Focus:
Number of employees: 329
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 12 days PTO to start

Perks: Bonus incentives, flexible work schedules, personalized ergonomic workspaces, company gatherings, and happy hour outings.

What makes it great: 鈥淣one of us imagined as a little kid that we would be working in the mortgage industry when we grew up. And none of us could have imagined what a fulfilling and amazing opportunity we would all find here at Mann. While many companies talk about culture or being a family, Mann is purposeful in creating opportunities to make the culture shine through and make you feel like family. From day one of employment, team members are empowered to have a say in their destiny with opportunities to improve themselves and the organization, no matter their position. Mann is a positive place where team members are excited to come to work and have a voice in the company.鈥�

13. Western Environmental Law Center

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Focus:
Number of employees: 21
Average salary: $74,000
Vacation time: 20 days PTO annually, with a maximum of ten days that can roll over to the following year

Perks: Periodic days off to enjoy the weather;听three-month paid sabbatical every five years; unlimited sick leave; work from home, with a $100/month home office stipend for each staff member to cover items such as internet, cellphone, and increased home utilities; and听to manage mental health and family demands, staff also received eight extra paid personal days to be used in 2020.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲ELC embodies Teddy Roosevelt鈥檚 famous quote鈥攚e 鈥榮peak softly and carry a big stick.鈥� Our staff is kind, empathetic, and fun, while also rising to the difficult challenge of requiring the federal government and other actors to change their behavior to benefit the public interest. This very often takes the form of safeguarding imperiled wildlife, the climate, clean water, and ancient forests. Our staff thrives on the energy surrounding our great victories for people and the planet听and turns that into flexibility, humanity, and, ultimately, a gratifying workplace.鈥�

14. Southwest Michigan First

Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Focus:
Number of employees: 27
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 15 days PTO to start

Perks: Fully stocked kitchen,听half-day summer Fridays,听lagniappes听delivered to employees at home and in the office,听access to personal leadership coaching,听on-site flu shot clinic,听and team activities like a book club and baby showers that follow听social distancing guidelines.

What makes it听great: 鈥淓ncouraging team members to put their family first actually helps team members focus more on work and increases productivity. Employees know that the organization has their back if they have to leave work to care for themselves or family members. By telling employees that it鈥檚 OK to put their family first when need be, the organization reaps the commitment of its team members who put the mission and needs of clients first in all that they do.鈥�

15. SmartEtailing

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 55
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 14 days PTO to start

Perks: Partially reimbursed gym memberships,听profit sharing,听deals on bikes and gear,听weekly virtual happy hour,听virtual morning coffee twice a week,听socially distanced bike rides,听and lots of video calls to stay connected.

What makes it听great: 鈥淥ur culture is the number one reason we love to work for SmartEtailing. We treat our employees like family and really get to know each individual.鈥�

16. Young & Laramore

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Focus:
Number of employees: 67
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start, three weeks after three years,听and four weeks with eight years of service

Perks: Company bikes, showers, and lockers for those who wish to come into the office to work or exercise; a quiet room for meditation, prayer, or private yoga; YMCA memberships; virtual 鈥淏eer Thursdays鈥�; a socially distanced pickleball tournament in the parking lot;听quiet time on Tuesday mornings鈥攏o meetings or texting allowed; quiet lunch hours; and Fridays off听at 3:00 P.M.

What makes it听great: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a place where each of us are able to do the best work of our careers, and do it in a place that trusts and respects us,听with coworkers who trust and respect each other.鈥�

17. Small Giants

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 24
Average salary: $57,670
Vacation time: 12 days PTO

Perks: One hundred听percent employer-paid health care, dental, and vision; wellness program with prizes and rewards; employee-planned events, activities, and challenges; group hikes, working walks, and lunch workouts; team-selected employee of the month program, with a half-day of PTO for nominees; annual awards for excellence and demonstration of core values; all-expenses-paid midyear and end-of-year retreats; dog-friendly office; flexible schedule with the ability to work from home; continuing education program; and company-provided childcare and instruction for children during COVID-19.

What makes it听great: 鈥�Small Giants was founded to be a best-in-class employer as much as it was to be a premier marketing agency. To achieve that, we have been very invested in employee hiring, career growth, supporting and funding continued education, goal development, and accountability while providing a fun and supportive environment. The cornerstone of the Small Giants brand is culture, and听it听is the reason employees stay, feel engaged, and are proud of the company they have created.鈥�

18. LifeOmic

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Focus:
Number of employees: 101
Average salary: $145,000
Vacation time: 16 days PTO to start

Perks: Annual pool parties; free gym memberships; weekly catered lunches; flexible work schedules; a break room with beer, wine, and snacks; a biannual all-expenses-paid retreat in Salt Lake City (skiing in the winter, camping in the summer); paid parental leave; companywide wellness program with monthly and quarterly cash incentives; and 401(k)听match.

What makes it听great: 鈥淥f course, LifeOmic values health, wellness, and fitness, but the best part is the culture of flexibility that allows us to live it out. Going for a run between meetings, heading to the gym at an hour that works with your schedule, or even logging off for your child鈥檚 baseball practice is encouraged. The flexible work schedule allows for the ability to innovate at your best time of day听and take care of yourself and your loved ones, which is huge.鈥�

19. Arts & Letters Creative Co.

Location: Richmond, Virginia
Focus:
Number of employees: 119
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 25 days PTO

Perks: Six weeks paid parental bonding leave, plus six additional weeks paid pregnancy/childbirth leave for mothers; 100 percent of premiums covered for health, medical, and dental plans; 50 percent coverage of premiums for dependents and domestic partners; $100 monthly stipend for self-care; 401(k)听with 4听percent safe harbor match; paid six-week sabbatical after seven years with the company; and annual Swagsgiving and homecoming events.

What makes it听great: 鈥淎t its core, an agency is nothing more than a bunch of people who听believe in each other and a bunch of clients who believe in those people. We believed this when we started the company three and a half years ago, but having been through this challenging year together, we now know it to be true. While the place has grown, the desire to create the best possible environment for people to work together has not. We鈥檝e always believed that the world鈥檚 best talent wants to work in a place where they could create huge ideas with massive impact听but also try to make it home for dinner. We believe that the challenging stuff can be worth it (and even fun) when you鈥檙e doing it with people who feel supported on all sides. To us, that鈥檚 where it all started, and that鈥檚 what it will always be about.鈥�

20. Geocaching HQ

Location: Seattle, Washington
Focus:
Number of employees: 82
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO to start

Perks: Two paid hours of geocaching each month,听access to a stocked gear closet,听unlimited ski and snowboard lift tickets to any mountain in the world,听an internal geocaching program with global travel opportunities,听paid four-week sabbatical every seven years,听ORCA cards for transportation, and professional development opportunities.

What makes it听great: 鈥淕eocaching HQ thrives on the people who work here. This is demonstrated from the moment a new hire joins the team听to their immersive onboarding听and throughout their development. We are a company that truly values authenticity, passion, and collaboration, and these principles are modeled all the way from our leadership team to each team member. We deeply believe that Geocaching is making the world a better place, and we continue each day to collaborate and iterate to make the game the best it can be for our community.鈥�

21. Mathys+Potestio

Location: Portland, Oregon
Focus:
Number of employees: 22
Average salary: $71,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Weekly virtual happy hour; every other Friday off in the summer; fully funded health care; commuting stipend; Costco membership; and twice-annual 鈥渇un days鈥� in Portland for hiking, whitewater rafting, wine tasting, and brewery hopping.

What makes it great: 鈥淢+P is a great place to work because we get to find good jobs for others while having a good one of our own.鈥�

22. Wilderness Travel

Location: Oakland, California
Focus:
Number of Employees: 26
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Three weeks to start

Perks:听A $2,450 annual travel stipend,听all-expenses paid vacation on a Wilderness Travel tour within two years,听dog-friendly office,听ten 鈥淔ree Fridays鈥� per year,听and company outings like wine mixing and glass blowing.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲e get to live and breathe adventure travel every day! Employees receive yearly travel stipends and access to free trips when they come up, from African safaris to treks in Nepal. In the office, we have a true family culture, with office dogs, over-the-top birthday celebrations (like an Elvis singing telegram), Halloween costume competitions, and so much more.鈥�

23. Shine United

Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Focus:
Number of employees: 46
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start

Perks: Rock-climbing club,听sports-watching parties,听weekly 鈥淏eer 30鈥� gatherings at the downstairs bar,听half-day summer Fridays,听a $10,000 sabbatical stipend after ten years,听paid maternity leave,听company covers 100 percent of health insurance,听and full support for remote work.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲ork is important, but family comes first, and Shine definitely lives that belief. This, along with unlimited sick time, is one of the great things about working at Shine. The life-work balance is truly something great. If you or your kids are sick, you stay home and get everyone healthy, during a pandemic and otherwise. If your kids can鈥檛 go to school and have to be taught at home, Shine understands that necessity as well.鈥�

24. WorkInProgress

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 23
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Retirement plan with matching company contributions,听flexible hours,听telecommuting options,听virtual happy hours,听fully stocked kitchen,听monthly team breakfasts,听$1,500 stipend for training or education,听and a fishable lake out the front door and Boulder Creek in the back.

What makes it听great: 鈥淭here鈥檚 support, transparency, and goodwill from top to bottom. People care for each other personally as much as professionally. Work-life balance is much more than lip service here; we have unlimited PTO with clear parameters that manage to keep its execution guilt-free. Raises and bonuses are regular and generous. Company goals and progress are discussed regularly at an all-agency breakfast. There are no secrets here. No backbiting. No egos. No drama. The culture is treated with strict reverence. New hires are vetted by everyone in the agency. Opinions are frequently solicited through anonymous as well as public channels. People in every department are smart, skilled, and easy to respect. It鈥檚 a laughably easy place to work听while still maintaining a steep, upward trajectory.鈥�

25. SportRx

Location: San Diego, California
Focus:
Number of employees: 67
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Wellness coach who does weekly virtual sessions to promote balance and mental health,听lunch delivered from a local restaurant every day for team members who remain on-site,听and free or discounted bike and snow gear.

What makes it听great: 鈥淥ne thing that makes SportRx a great place to work is we鈥檙e never siloed into one thing, and we鈥檙e always pushing the envelope with new and creative ideas. People are empowered to incorporate their passions into their job roles.鈥�

26. Power Digital

Location: San Diego, California
Focus:
Number of employees: 128
Average salary: $62,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Healthy catered lunches; dog-friendly office; monthly company events, from yacht parties to bus trips to local breweries; employee-taught fitness and yoga classes; movie nights; and cooking lessons.

What makes it听great: 鈥淭he fact that every day when I come to work, I know that I will be working with people who don鈥檛 dwell on the problem听but work together to find a solution听is empowering. Even through all the growth I鈥檝e experienced at Power Digital, we鈥檝e managed to keep the startup mentality alive through our friendships, mentorship, and understanding that we are paving our own path as a company. We push each other to be our best, not only in our careers but also in our personal lives. If you have a goal that you want to achieve, everyone at Power Digital helps you achieve that goal. This type of mentality helps us work toward a common goal. We work hard, we play hard, we win together, and we lose together, and at the end of the day, we are a family.鈥�

27. Turner

Location: Denver, New York, Miami, Chicago
Focus:
Number of employees: 40
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 20 days PTO to start

Perks: Paid volunteer days,听locally curated kegerator,听cornhole,听dog-friendly office,听Zen room,听recess activities,听and unlimited PTO after your tenth听anniversary.

What makes it听great: 鈥淎 lot of companies talk about work-life balance; we make it a part of our core ethos. Every member of our team has a manageable workload and a flexible schedule. We recognized long ago that diversity makes our team stronger, and we invested in specialist roles for multicultural marketing; we also have a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee with goals and action steps we report on annually.鈥�

28. Oboz Footwear

Location: Bozeman, Montana
Focus:
Number of employees: 27
Average salary: Not disclosed
Vacation time: 15 days PTO to start

Perks: Dog-friendly office,听periodic days off to celebrate successes,听stocked fridge with beer and wine,听partnerships with local companies that offer in-office coffee and other treats,听summer Fridays,听annual Oboz celebration retreat at Hyalite campground,听annual trails challenge,听Friendsgiving potluck celebration in November,听holiday party,听and in-office happy hours.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲alking into the office on a normal day, you鈥檙e greeted by our happy, astute customer service听team, which consists of five folks and their dogs. Convos are along the lines of past-weekend adventures or plans for the upcoming weekend. Meetings鈥攚hether they鈥檙e 鈥榳alking meetings鈥� outside and immediately onto our town鈥檚 trail system across the street听or in a conference room donned with product鈥攁re typically fun. Lots of activities are planned with each other outside working hours. We also appreciate a pretty flexible working environment that helps make life easier. Within all of it, there鈥檚 an inherent trust and respect we have for one another.鈥�

29. WorkBright

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 22
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: FSA accounts with a monthly contribution from WorkBright that can be used for childcare, wellness, or home office; ability to work from anywhere, anytime, and earn equity in the company for every employee; quarterly wellness stipends and professional development funds; annual company retreat at an outdoor recreation destination; and personal development grants for pursuing passions outside of work.

What makes it great:听鈥淲hile the flexible work life, generous vacation policies, and fun team outings are great perks, WorkBright is a great place to work because of the transparency and genuine caring from leadership. We often say听what we do is as important as how we do it. By using our core values to guide each interaction with each other and our customers, we have cultivated a fostering, compassionate environment for all employees to learn and grow every day.鈥�

30. The ZaneRay Group

Location: Whitefish, Montana
Focus:
Number of employees: 30
Average salary: $88,000
Vacation time: 3.5 weeks PTO to start

Perks: Overtime pay for work beyond 40 hours; profit sharing; weekly catered lunches; flextime scheduling, so employees can get outside during the day; company matching for nonprofit donations; COVID-19 supplemental pay; team-building events, including a summer activity and winter ski day; and an unspoken powder-day rule.

What makes it听great:听鈥淶aneRay operates in full transparency with all of our employees. We share everything to ensure that we are all able to participate and celebrate in the successes of the agency. We believe that living our best lives will produce our best work, and we structure our working environment to support that balance, and we often turn down projects in order to maintain that stability. We care deeply about our employees, as well as the sustainability of the world that we live in, and support a number of organizations that promote sustainability as well as land conservation. Being Montanans, it is a true passion of ours and one that is critical in order to promote the lifestyle that we all value living in this place. We hire very deliberately and carefully since people tend to stick around for many years to follow.鈥�

31. The Garrett Companies

Location: Greenwood, Indiana
Focus:
Number of employees: 90
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Four weeks PTO

Perks: Annual canoe trip; oil changes on-site; employees have the choice to work from home, the office, or both鈥攚hatever works best for their needs; everyone gets their birthday off.

What makes it great: 鈥淲e want our employees to enjoy their work and have fun while doing it. The employee is at the core of what we do and will remain at the core. Each year, the company evaluates how the culture can be improved. We have also placed an emphasis on training our employees. We want to help them gain knowledge. We have added mentorship programs into weekly routines. The culture here continues to improve for the better.鈥�

32. Koru

Location: Carbondale, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 22
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 15 days PTO, unlimited at five years

Perks: Flexible schedule to encourage employees to take time out of their work schedule to hike, bike, raft, run, or ski; Aspen Ski Co. pass to all employees; group ski days, raft days, and camping trips; dog-friendly workplace; and Friday afternoon group happy hour.

What makes it great: 鈥淜oru strives to uplift everyone on the team, focusing on the whole person, their life inside and outside of work, and those significant to them. This is done through a focus on personal development, intentional communication, team check-ins, employee reviews (where feedback is given to both the employee and the owner), transparency surrounding company goals and results, as well as establishing a deep level of trust with each member of the team.鈥�

33. Workshop Digital

Location: Richmond, Virginia
Focus:
Number of employees: 24
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Weekly office meditation; organized events, like kickball games, softball leagues, whitewater rafting, and paddleboarding; paid time off for volunteering; a snack-packed caf茅; profit sharing; monthly health and wellness challenges; monthly birthday celebrations.

What makes it听great:听鈥淎t Workshop, we have three committees: community, culture, and health and听wellness. These committees are constantly bringing ideas to the leadership team. Examples that have been implemented include a recent 鈥榞uess that baby photo鈥� competition, Walking Wednesdays, and organized volunteer events, like building a house with Habitat for Humanity. It鈥檚听great that the leadership empowers the team to own these committees, and that further adds to the culture here.鈥�

34. Ridgeline Insights

Location: Boise, Idaho
Focus: , and
Number of employees: 19
Average salary: $58,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Employees are trusted to get their work done when it works best for them, daily informal check-ins, all-staff meetings with an effort to hear from everyone, and virtual beers on Fridays.

What makes it great: 鈥淥ur team has been resilient during the pandemic. Much of that is due to a supportive culture that puts employees and families first, so that everyone can find a new balance between work and home, since everyone is at home. Having the office available to get out of the house and holding meetings in our 鈥榗onference room鈥� in the park across the street have听further strengthened our connections as a team.鈥�

35. Eagle County Paramedic Services

Location: Edwards, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 79
Average salary: $74,503
Vacation time: Five weeks

Perks: FIR听(financial, insurance, and recreation) benefit, with a $1,200 reimbursement for ski, golf, gym, and other fitness/recreation passes, as well as classes for employees only; employee parties, which have included trips to Rockies鈥� games and a holiday party; meals donated to the stations for various events or simply as a thank-you to paramedics and EMTs.

What makes it great: 鈥淓CPS employees not only care about their job听but also about their coworkers, which makes it a special place to work. I also love getting off my shift and going hiking, fly-fishing, skiing, etc. It鈥檚 a really active place to work filled with active people.鈥�

36. SRG (Sterling-Rice Group)

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 102
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 17 days PTO to start

Perks: Relaxation Row, where employees can work out, get an on-site massage, or meditate; beer and kombucha on tap; yoga at the local farmers鈥� market; paid fees for sports teams, like kickball, basketball, and volleyball; all-company powder days; summer picnics; cornhole tournaments; virtual companywide Quiplash tournament, cook-alongs, and culinary bingo challenges; a FIKA channel for employees to schedule coffee breaks with one another; and a parent support channel.

What makes it great: 鈥淲e are committed to creating a sense of belonging for all employees. Our anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion commitments guide us as we strive to be a part of the end to systemic racism in and outside of the workplace. At our core, we are a group of people who support and inspire one another while doing great work for our clients. This shows up in initiatives like our new onboarding sidekick program and mentoring program, created on a belief that employees are limitless, unstoppable, and uncapped. Our mentors and mentees are paired across teams to foster cross-team collaboration, learning, and a chance to get to know others within the company.鈥�

37. Hailey Sault

Location: Duluth, Minnesota
Focus:
Number of employees: 36
Average salary: $75,000
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start,听four weeks after five years

Perks: Fitness room for meditation, yoga, and workouts; open-plan office with plenty of room to distance, natural light, and unbeatable top-floor views of Lake Superior.

What makes it great: 鈥淭he feeling of being valued, respected, and heard is organic here. People know we have each others鈥� backs听and have opportunities to talk about needs and concerns in small and large meeting settings听or in one-on-ones.鈥�

38. GetUWired

Location: Dahlonega, Georgia
Focus:
Number of employees: 36
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Five days PTO to start

Perks: Quarterly team-building events,听flexible scheduling and working from home,听dog-friendly office,听mindset training,听leadership training,听401(k)听matching,听core value cookout and awards,听fitness challenges,听annual appreciation gifts,听and a commute that goes against the flow of normal workday traffic to Atlanta.

What makes it听great:听鈥淥ur people. We have a rigorous hiring process so that we know the people we鈥檙e bringing into the fold can both mesh and add to the company culture. Our 鈥楥abinPunk鈥� culture encourages folks to work smart and play all the time. Not to mention our office is a cabin located in the middle of nowhere while still having a high-speed technology setup, so folks can enjoy living in the beautiful North Georgia mountains while enjoying the perks of a big-city career.鈥�

39. TDA_Boulder

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 21
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO to start

Perks: Full day off for summer Fridays; $1,000 stipend to set up a home office; virtual happy hours, including margaritas delivered to everyone; bingo with prizes; birthday celebrations; cold brew, beer, and kombucha on tap听in the office.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲e love to celebrate our employees and the beautiful state we live in. We give everyone a day off to take advantage of powder days or hike a 14er, then donate $1,000 to a charity of choice.鈥�

40. New Belgium Brewing Company

Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 694
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 14 days PTO to start

Perks: 12-pack of beer every week, and a free 12-ounce听draft beer every day after shift end; 100 percent coverage of employee health care premiums (medical and dental); complimentary on-site health and wellness clinic; limited-edition bicycle on one-year work anniversary; all-expenses-paid trip to Belgium on five-year anniversary; four-week paid sabbatical on ten-year anniversary; $1,000 travel voucher on 15-year anniversary; six-week paid sabbatical on 20-year anniversary; return trip to Belgium on 25-year anniversary; wellness reimbursement; adoption assistance program; company volleyball tournaments; employee assistance program to help during times of need; and an on-site workout facility.

What makes it听great:听鈥淭he culture at New Belgium never ceases to amaze. From brewing beer in our founder鈥檚 basement to becoming the fourth-largest craft brewery in the U.S., we set out to build a craft beer revolution. Every day, we strive to use business as a force for good, and our coworkers lead by following these four principles: we make world class beer for everyone;听we do right by people;听we inspire social and environmental change; and we have a hell of a lot of fun.鈥�

41. Spawn Ideas

Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Focus:
Number of employees: 30
Average salary: $83,000
Vacation time: 13 days PTO to start

Perks: Employee stock ownership program;听a day off on Juneteenth; regular activities with family and friends, like the 鈥淧eak a Week鈥� hiking program and ice fishing; 鈥淧awternity leave鈥� to bond with new pets or grieve when one passes; and a $200 annual bonus to put toward state park passes, ski passes, and race entry fees.

What makes it听great: 鈥淧erks are one thing, but our overall intellectually curious culture sets the tone and retains staff. We call ourselves wayfinders. Excellent clients and a 鈥榗omfortable with being uncomfortable鈥� perspective help听us reimagine ourselves to meet today鈥檚 needs and those we see on the horizon. Most of all, our people, our friendships, and our Spawn family make it a great place to work.鈥�

42. C1S Group

Location: Dallas, Texas
Focus:
Number of employees: 23
Average salary: $83,250
Vacation time: 15 days PTO, plus an additional day for each year of service

Perks: Remote work options during the pandemic,听office opened for limited occupancy,听school-age kids can come to work with their parents to do virtual school at C1S,听virtual happy hours,听team trivia competitions,听date night with wine and cheese pairings,听taco Fridays,听catered Monday lunches,听crawfish boil,听annual chili cook-off,听Halloween costume contest,听and a running team.

What makes it听great: 鈥淲orking at C1S is challenging, with a fun, family atmosphere. Our core values define who we are and how we do our work, so we have a team that鈥檚 committed to safety, integrity, passion, resourcefulness, dependability, and fun. When you prioritize these beliefs and use them to guide your business, then work becomes something that gives you energy, as well as a sense of pride.鈥�

43. Charles Cunniffe Architects

Location: Aspen, Colorado
Focus:
Number of Employees: 20
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Varies

Perks: Free ski pass to Aspen鈥檚 four mountains,听weekly flextime for powder days or midday bike rides,听work-from-home or satellite office option to reduce commute time,听401(k)听matching,听company Subaru for site visits,听yearly pro bono work for nonprofits,听wide array of philanthropic outreach,听and design charrettes to keep the creative听juices flowing.

What makes it great:听鈥淚t starts with our team. We carefully select team members for not only immense design skills听but also those who share our values and work ethic. Our team of fun and crazy-talented designers collaborate and share a passion for the outdoors. Weekly flextime and a flexible schedule allow听us all to get outside to refresh and renew. We are a family, and we extend that dedication to our own families, and we schedule our work to allow for community and family engagement.鈥�

44. Skratch Labs

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 25
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Employee profit sharing; cooking lessons; daily recess knockout games; bike repair station; indoor bike racks; beer, wine, coffee, and tea; stocked kitchen; deals on outdoor gear; on-site massage chair; free Skratch for employees and their friends; dog-friendly office; kid-friendly office; basketball hoop; and TRX, kettlebell, and medicine ball workout stations.

What makes it great:听鈥淓verything at Skratch is aimed at getting better. As an organization, we don鈥檛 always have all the answers, but we listen and we act. We do so through our mistakes and also from the feedback we get from our customers and one another.鈥�

45. First Descents

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 20
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 26 days PTO

Perks: Full-time remote work flexibility,听socially distanced team happy hours and lunches in different parks around Denver,听monthly health and wellness stipend,听partial cellphone reimbursement,听paid parental leave,听and pro-deal gear discounts.

What makes it great: 鈥淔irst Descents is unique in that we鈥檙e not just an organization in a cool industry with sweet perks. We鈥檙e also a tight-knit community of individuals who have been brought together by hardships and sickness, with a devotion to service, gratitude, and living life to the absolute fullest by pushing our boundaries and those that the world inflicts upon us. In other words, creating opportunity for healing through community and the outdoors is at the heart of what we do, and therefore is at the heart of every individual involved, which makes the bond we all share a strong one. The community of First Descents extends well beyond the four walls of our office (or these days, the virtual walls of our Zoom calls), making it feel like so much more than just a job, but rather, a way of Out Living It in the world.鈥�

46. Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx)

Location: San Francisco, California
Focus:
Number of employees: 50
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time:听Three weeks PTO to start

Perks: Virtual yoga classes,听socially distant bird walks,听beach picnic lunches with views of the San Francisco skyline,听flexible schedules to support participation in civic engagement,听familiarization trips to GeoEx destinations,听and offices in San Francisco鈥檚 Presidio National Park.

What makes it great:听鈥淥n familiarization trips, you could find yourself hiking trails in Patagonia, exploring centuries-old temples in Bhutan, trekking to mountain gorillas in Rwanda, or kayaking past icebergs in Antarctica. Around the office, we have a beloved cocktail cart that makes the rounds听where we鈥檙e often found swapping travel tales. The views of the Golden Gate Bridge from our offices are a nice perk, too.鈥�

47. i2 Construction

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of employees: 45
Average salary: $88,056
Vacation time: 15.5 days PTO per year

Perks: 100 percent employer-paid health care, dental, and vision; $50 per听month Thrive Pass allocation for health-based activities; paid gas and听e470 tolls; snacks and beverages at the office; flexible schedules; ping-pong tables and Golden Tee golf; dog-friendly office; quarterly bonuses; community service opportunities; and monthly companywide happy hours.

What makes it听great:听鈥渋2 Construction is a place that truly puts company culture at the forefront of their mission. Their success in maintaining prosperous client relationships is a result of the way in which they care for employees. Team members feel that the culture is genuine and family-centric, which results in a positive work environment centered around work-life balance and community involvement.鈥�

48. ThrivePass

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:
Number of听employees: 38
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: $300 annual stipend for learning and development;听money each month in a Thrive Account for employee well-being;听frequent happy hours and team events;听company volunteer days;听401(k)听match;听competitive health insurance plans, plus a听health reimbursement account;听one-month sabbatical after five years of employment;听snacks galore;听professional and leadership development opportunities.

What makes it听great:听鈥淭hrivePass is more than your average tech company. We offer awesome office perks, but our real passion is around employee growth and development. Here, we support and empower our employees to be their best selves. Opinions and ideas are valued and encouraged at every level of our company. Driven by courage, authenticity, resourcefulness, and excellence, we pride ourselves on embodying these core values in every aspect of our business.鈥�

49. BrainStorm

Location: American Fork, Utah
Focus:
Number of employees: 132
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 12 days PTO to start, plus three paid volunteer days

Perks: Corporate ski passes to a local resort; bimonthly out-of-office activities, like Provo River floats, volleyball tournaments, or snow tubing; bimonthly service outings to volunteer at animal shelters or clean up parks and rivers; adventure grant opportunities; and a paid sabbatical after ten years.

What makes it great: 鈥淲e use the phrase 鈥極neTeam鈥� at BrainStorm as a reminder that we rise and fall together, and that it鈥檚 only when we鈥檙e in sync that we can meet our goals. In 2020, it was never more clear how much the team has taken the spirit of OneTeam to heart. In spite of the pandemic and our physical distance from one another, we鈥檝e never been more aligned in purpose, drive, and dedication. The OneTeam mentality鈥攖hat commitment to not just the business but each other鈥攊s what makes BrainStorm a great place to work.鈥�

50. Realeflow

Location: Parma Heights, Ohio
Focus:
Number of employees: 36
Average salary: $70,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO

Perks: Working from home now; half-day summer Fridays; work-from-home flexibility; company outings, like Cleveland Indians games; a three-week paid sabbatical after six years, with two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the world; and a fridge stocked with healthy snacks, local beer, and spiked seltzer.

What makes it great: 鈥淭here is no micromanaging, and everyone can self-manage themselves. They don鈥檛 keep track of personal days, and as long as your work gets done, they don鈥檛 care if you鈥檙e in office or at home. The more you put in, the more you get out, as far as opportunities and promotions.鈥�

Honorable Mentions

Ascent360

Location: Golden, Colorado
Focus:

Backbone Media

Location: Carbondale, Colorado
Focus:

Best Version Media

Location: Brookfield, Wisconsin
Focus:

Big Agnes

Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Focus:

Choozle

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:

commonFront

Location: Bozeman, Montana
Focus:

DPS Skis

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Focus:

Duft Watterson

Location: Boise, Idaho;听and San Francisco, California
Focus:

Egg Strategy

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:

Encompass Technologies Development

Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
Focus:

EverCheck

Location: Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Focus:

G5

Location: Bend, Oregon
Focus:

Hanson Dodge

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Focus:

IDX Broker

Location: Eugene, Oregon
Focus:

Infinite Energy

Location: Gainesville, Florida
Focus:

Insight Designs Web Solutions

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:

Montana Wilderness Association

Location: Helena, Montana
Focus:

Namast茅 Solar

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus:

Ninkasi Brewing

Location: Eugene, Oregon
Focus:

Nuun Hydration

Location: Seattle, Washington
Focus:

Pairin

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:

Petzl America

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Focus:

POC Sports

Location: Park City, Utah
Focus:

Powder 7

Location: Golden, Colorado
Focus:

Spyderco

Location: Golden, Colorado
Focus:

Stio

Location: Jackson, Wyoming
Focus:

Toad&Co

Location: Santa Barbara, California
Focus:

TrackVia

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus:

USA Triathlon

Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Focus:

The post The 50 Best Places to Work in 2020 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

From the moment you become a parent, you are guaranteed to spend the rest of your life second-guessing every choice you make. All of it boils down to two questions: Am I doing what I鈥檓 supposed to do to keep this kid alive? Am I giving this little person the ability to walk their own path and lead a healthy, productive, and happy life? Most parents learn to live with the decisions they make鈥攜ou have to for sanity鈥檚 sake鈥攂ut the uncertainty of it all never goes away.

Chris Burkard鈥檚听new short film, Unnur, , offers a cinematic听exploration of that uncertainty, and how one parent has learned to be at peace with his unconventional choices. The 17-minute documentary follows Icelandic adventure photographer and surfer Elli Thor, a single dad raising his eight-year-old daughter, Unnur鈥攏amed after one of the Norse god of the sea鈥檚 nine daughters鈥攊n a remote A-frame cabin on the coast of Iceland, where they spend the bulk of their time on the beach. (Thor shares custody with Unnur鈥檚 mother, who鈥檚 only glimpsed in the film when he drops his daughter off at her home in town.) They鈥檙e miles away from other people by design: Thor鈥檚 plan is to share his passion for the ocean and surfing with Unnur, rather than succumb to societal expectations about how to raise his daughter.

Thor鈥檚 simply following the pattern laid out by his own parents, who never stopped doing what they loved, either. His mother was the first woman to join Iceland鈥檚 search and rescue team, and she and Thor鈥檚 father听spent most of their time raising their own children in the country鈥檚 wild spaces. 鈥淚 think if you鈥檙e听raised outdoors, even if you move away from it for a little bit of time, it鈥檚 always there. It sticks with you,鈥� Thor听says in the film. 鈥淚t was a great way to grow up.鈥�

Building on that experience, he followed his own path to become a professional kayaker, taking on some of the most challenging waters in the world. Then, a decade ago, on a river in northern Iceland, he got trapped beneath a waterfall and nearly drowned, washing up half a mile downstream. After that he left kayaking and, for a time, his life outdoors, until later discovering surfing, a budding sport in his country. Still, he struggled with the question of why he survived the accident鈥攗ntil his daughter was born. Unnur鈥檚 arrival gave him a renewed sense of purpose as well as an ongoing internal dialogue as to whether or not he was doing right by her.

Burkard has been making adventure films for a long time, and you鈥檒l recognize his epic cinematography here. He shoots the rugged Icelandic coast and swells lapping up the beaches as though they鈥檙e both supporting characters, and they are. Without hitting you over the head with it in the script, Burkard鈥檚听camerawork makes clear the appeal of the land and sea and why Thor鈥檚 opted for this life.

However, Unnur represents a significant departure from Burkard鈥檚 previous work. It鈥檚 a journey into narrative storytelling, rather than what he calls the 鈥渟urf porn鈥� he鈥檚 accustomed to shooting. 鈥淚 got to know Thor a few years ago surfing in Iceland, and we became friends,鈥� Burkard听recounts. 鈥淟ater听he told me the story about almost drowning and how he still struggles with that experience as a father.鈥� It was the first time Thor had opened up about his accident to someone outside of his own family, who only found out about it when they saw it relayed on the local news.

There鈥檚 a personal element to the story that motivated Burkard, too. Growing up with a single mother, he saw her struggling to balance the challenge of raising a strong, independent kid without being held back by听the fear of the unknown, the so-called safer path. Now a father of two boys himself, Burkard, like so many of us, constantly wrestles with the question of how to responsibly raise kids without giving up our individual passions. It鈥檚听a fine line to walk. Go all in on your passion, and you could alienate听your offspring or make听them resent the things you love. Instead,听both Burkard and Thor have chosen to share their passion with their kids, even as they debate听internally with the more conventional notions of parental responsibility, such as the risk听that comes with giving kids more freedom or the struggle that can ensue when听dragging them to the beach while their peers are off to soccer games or enjoying听Xbox time.

鈥淚 want them to know that I love what I do, and I want them to love what they do, too,鈥� Burkard says. 鈥淚 made this as an advocacy piece for parents.鈥�

Unnur is a quiet film. There鈥檚 not a lot of dialog, and it doesn鈥檛 really need it. Thor and Unnur, who we don鈥檛 hear from much at all, don鈥檛 have to say much for the audience to see the deep level of trust and affection the two share. Burkard鈥檚 lens captures those sentiments nicely in Thor鈥檚 world-weary expressions and the wonder in his daughter鈥檚 face as she stares out at the ocean.

Thor lives and breathes听the ocean鈥攊t鈥檚 what gave him a second chance at life鈥攂ut he鈥檚 not forcing Unnur into a career as a professional surfer like some obnoxious Little League parent yelling at their kid from the bleachers because they鈥檙e not throwing the perfect curveball at ten听years old. In fact, you only see her on a board once in the film. The two while听away most of their time playing on the beach, splashing in the waves, or collecting shells and feathers. Sometimes she watches him or does her own thing while he surfs.

And though his parenting approach is one of the more extreme examples of living a life outdoors, it鈥檚 applicable to anyone with their own brood. All parents balance the risk and responsibility that come听with raising kids, but we don鈥檛 have to stop doing what we love when children arrive. Even if your adventures become limited to weekend peak bagging or a backcountry canoe trip,听you can still take your little ones with you.

鈥淟ike my parents did, I share my passion with her in hopes that she鈥檒l grow the courage to do life鈥檚 hardest thing, to choose her own path, not the one society chooses for her,鈥� Thor explains. 鈥淚f I can do that, I鈥檒l go to the grave a happy man.鈥�

The most difficult part of parenting is that we never really get a definitive answer as to whether what听we鈥檙e doing is working, if we鈥檙e听successfully straddling听the line between risk and responsibility. You just have to accept the constant uncertainty of the dilemma听and proceed.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 doing right,鈥� Thor says,听鈥渙r if I鈥檒l ever know, but the most important thing is that we鈥檙e doing it together.鈥�

In the final scene of Unnur, Thor carries his daughter into the house and puts her to bed at the end of a long day at the beach. As he says goodnight, she whispers her only line in the film: 鈥淐an we go surfing again tomorrow?鈥�

The post This Film Will Make You Rethink Every Parental Decision appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

A group of eight researchers from China finally summited Mount Everest on Wednesday, May 27. One of only two climbing teams on the mountain this year, they were there for a very specific purpose鈥攖o take the most accurate measurement to date of the world鈥檚 tallest point.

The COVID-19 pandemic nixed the spring climbing season before it got started. China canceled foreign climbing permits from the Tibet side of the mountain in March, and Nepal followed suit for the south side of the peak a day later. However, as China began to control the spread of the disease, the government allowed two groups to make the climb: the听surveyors and a commercial expedition run by Chinese outfitter Yarlha Shampo.

The group of surveyors听initially planned to make a听summit bid on May 12, but weather conditions prevented a team from fixing the rope on the last stage of the route, so听they returned to the north-side base camp. On May 16, expedition leaders decided to make another attempt, with a smaller team that would reach the summit on May 22. However, heavy snows resulting from Cyclone Amphan once again sent the rope-fixing team听back to base camp this week, scuttling a听second try at the top, . It looked like the storm might close the window on this season鈥檚 climbing attempts, but a break in the weather finally allowed the surveyors to settle the question of the mountain鈥檚 height. For now, anyway.

How Tall Is Mount Everest?

Mount Everest鈥檚 recognized elevation has been 29,029 feet above sea level since an Indian survey team measured it in 1955. But if you look hard enough, there鈥檚 a faint asterisk next to that number. For years, Nepal and China have sparred over the height of the mountain straddling their shared border, specifically whether or not the official number should account for the snow听atop it.

In 2005, a Chinese team determined the peak鈥檚 elevation听to be 29,017 feet at the height of its rock base, holding that up as the most accurate measurement. Nepal disagreed, maintaining its position that the snowcap covering the peak听should be accounted for in the final number. But many believe the amount of snow and ice on top of the mountain has shrunk after听the massive 2015听earthquake that rocked the Himalayas.

This year鈥檚 expedition to measure the peak jointly was the culmination of an agreement struck last fall when Chinese president Xi Jinping visited Nepal.

The new measurement was taken using China鈥檚 BeiDou satellite-navigation system. The surveyors also collected data on snow depth, weather, and wind speed, which will be used to monitor the deterioration of glaciers and other ecological impacts of climate change. The team spent nearly three hours on the summit, setting up the satellite beacon and other equipment before starting the trek back to base camp. Next,听researchers will spend up to three months analyzing the data before releasing their reading on the mountain鈥檚 height.

Nepal sent a team of surveyors up the mountain in 2017 and 2018. Scientists from the two countries will meet to review all the findings听and .

Whatever the new elevation is found to be, it will not change Everest鈥檚 status as the world鈥檚 tallest point. The second-highest peak is Pakistan鈥檚 28,251-foot K2, which sits nearly 800 feet below Everest. And even with an agreed-upon number, the issue won鈥檛 be settled for good. Seismic activity pushing the Indian subcontinent under Asia, as happened during听the 2015 earthquake, will continue to affect the mountain鈥檚听height.

The post Why the Height of Mount Everest May Change Soon appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In the outdoor industry, Patagonia has always been among the more vocal brands听opposing the Trump Administration鈥檚 effort to roll back environmental protections and undermine public lands. Now, the iconic outdoor company has teamed up with another industry giant, Columbia Sportswear, to throw their support behind an effort to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency听(EPA)听from gutting regulations that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For both companies, it鈥檚 not only the right thing to do for the planet, it鈥檚 also good business.听

Last month, the two gear manufacturers joined forces to file an , a legal document advising a court of additional considerations in a pending case, in support of a lawsuit by health and environmental groups challenging the EPA鈥檚 decision last year to overturn the 2015 Clean Power Plan (CPP) and replace it with the weaker Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. Their brief asks the court to weigh the damaging impact the rule change will have on the $887 billion outdoor industry.听

The ACE is a boon for the coal industry in that it curbs the CPP鈥檚 ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions from power plants, the 听of greenhouse gases in the United States. The new rule could potentially , and by , ACE could lead to thousands more premature deaths every year along with a jump in the number of people experiencing respiratory disease.听

The suit itself was filed by the American Lung Association and the American Public Health Association in July 2019. It asks the court to invalidate the new rule on the basis that it does not fit with the EPA鈥檚 mandate to protect public health under the Clean Air Act of 1970. The case is before the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, DC. Climate scientists, health groups, and religious organizations also filed amicus briefs in support of the plaintiffs ahead of last Friday鈥檚 deadline.听

Patagonia began considering an array of options to join the effort before deciding the amicus brief would be their best route, said Avi Garbow, the company鈥檚 environmental advocate and the former EPA general counsel during the Obama Administration. But they weren鈥檛 going to do it alone.听听

鈥淲e also thought there would be strength in numbers, figuring out a way of pairing two giants of the outdoor industry to present the viewpoint of the outdoor industry and the private sector would really bolster our case and be very helpful to the court,鈥� said Garbow. 鈥淲e were delighted to partner with Columbia and proceed as a duo.鈥澨�

The companies are no strangers to cooperation, but that鈥檚 typically been limited to manufacturing issues like sustainability and product regulations, explained Abel Navarrete, Columbia鈥檚 vice president for corporate responsibility. And even for two brands that have been active in the political space听before, it may seem like a big leap to throw their weight behind a court case like this one. But the issue of climate change is a direct existential threat to their business and the larger outdoor recreation industry,听which supports nearly 8 million jobs in the United States.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 not new to have businesses weighing in on big court cases. It鈥檚 a little bit new to have them weighing in on the side of the environment and planet,鈥� said Garbow. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e not going to use our voice, our community, and our resources to deal with one of the greatest crises that we face, then we鈥檙e not living up to the mission of the company.鈥澨�

As relaxed emissions standards hasten the pace of global warming, it threatens to destroy outdoor spaces and limit people鈥檚 ability to recreate outside. Ultimately, , that means fewer opportunities for people to get outdoors, which in turn leads to less money spent on clothing and gear and in recreation-dependent communities.听听

鈥淎s we like to say here, when we wade into a swamp it鈥檚 to test our products, but there are some things that are just that compelling that you have to,鈥� said Peter Bragdon, Columbia鈥檚 executive vice president, chief administrative officer, and general counsel. 鈥淭he brief tells the perfect story of what we鈥檙e trying to protect here鈥攊t鈥檚 the consumers, the special places, rural communities. It鈥檚 really remarkable that it was ignored by this administration.鈥澨�

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The commodification of Mount Everest got on John Oliver鈥檚 HBO series Last听Week Tonight. Overcrowding is the biggest story听from the world鈥檚 tallest peak this season, thanks to the infamous听viral image of a long line of climbers waiting to get to the summit. Picking up with that photo, the segment from the June 23听episode touched听on the problems associated with climbing the mountain in 2019, none of which are especially new.

Oliver started听with the trash pileup, including the 鈥�,鈥� left by the people, qualified or otherwise, who are paying minimal fees to make the climb the result of听a disastrously unregulated guiding industry on the Nepalese side of the mountain. The feature then reminded听viewers of the Sherpas听who do the bulk听of the work for their clients,听acknowledging that most of the people paying to summit would be unable to do so听without such听guides and porters.听听

Overtourism is having a moment. Long lines, smog, piles of waste, and needless deaths have become common听problems at popular destinations around the world. Visitors are served by a growing underclass they can鈥檛听recognize, like the oblivious climber from the segment who declares himself 鈥渇amily鈥�听with the Sherpas hired by his expedition.听And even getting to where you鈥檙e going requires a massive expulsion of greenhouse-gas emissions. These issues aren鈥檛 unique to Everest, but at least they are somewhat fixable on the world鈥檚听highest mountain.听听

Author Mark Jenkins laid out a coherent plan to address these problems in an essay we听published last week. 鈥淪o the first and most fundamental way to reduce traffic jams, frostbite, and death on Everest is to radically reduce the number of permits,鈥澨齢e says.听He goes on to recommend听steps like establishing a concessions system for guiding services, requiring no-trace practices, and even the audacious suggestion that climbers take responsibility themselves.听

There are already a handful of destinations that require permits for adventurers, including Grand Teton and Denali National Parks. As long as the crowds keep growing, more places will have to start considering tighter regulations that might not be popular with travelers or the localities dependent on the revenue they bring.听

But Oliver does offer one viable solution for the Instagram-obsessed hordes鈥擯hotoshop. If you just want to climb Everest for the photo, why not save tens of thousands of dollars and make your own听with the services of ?听

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There鈥檚 something different about the Bureau of Land Management鈥檚 as of this week. A sentence from the BLM鈥檚 mission statement referring to its role as the steward of the more than 245 million acres managed by the federal agency. Four sentences focused exclusively on the economic value of our public lands are still at the bottom of every press release, including those that predate the current administration.

The removed sentence read:

The BLM鈥檚 mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America鈥檚 public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.鈥�

Here鈥檚 the text that remains:

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

The change was by the Huffington Post on Wednesday.

If you click on the page of the BLM鈥檚 website, the original sentence is still there, for now, right at the top.

This isn鈥檛 the first bit of rebranding the agency has done under the Trump administration. In March 2018, BLM employees got a new 鈥渧ision card鈥� to wear in the field that includes an illustration of cowboys and cattle grazing on one side and an oil rig on the other, along with the agency鈥檚 mission and principles. A year earlier, the agency took some heat for swapping out a banner image of mountains on its homepage for (currently the images on the top of the page ). Posters featuring national monuments were of the BLM鈥檚 Washington, D.C., headquarters in 2017.

It鈥檚 more than a casual redecoration. Those changes reflect the agency鈥檚 expanded effort under President Trump to prioritize fossil fuel development and mineral extraction over conservation, in spite of the fact that nearly one quarter of the country鈥檚 greenhouse gas emissions come from federal lands.

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Last September, we declared Free Solo to be the best climbing movie ever made. Now, it's bagged another prestigious achievement. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin鈥檚 film documenting climber Alex Honnold鈥檚 historic rope-free ascent听of El Capitan's Freerider听in Yosemite took home the statue for Best Documentary Feature at this year鈥檚 Academy Awards.听

Free Solo follows Honnold as he prepares听for the climb and deals听with 鈥渢he circus鈥� of being the sport鈥檚 most recognizable figure, someone who鈥檚 been living mostly out of a van suddenly having a camera following his every move for months on end. It鈥檚 that insight into Honnold that forces the audience to confront bigger questions about life, death, and risk-taking and make this much more than just another climbing flick.听听

In an interview with 国产吃瓜黑料 in September 2018, Vasarhelyi described the film as a story about 鈥渢his kid who is so scared of talking to other people that it was easier for him to climb alone, with no ropes, than to ask for a partner. I feel like we all have something in our lives like that. It was really important to see Alex鈥檚 eyes before he did it. What did his eyes look like the morning he set off?鈥�

That听approach goes a long way toward explaining why Vasarhelyi, Chin and Honnold were on stage together accepting the Oscar in February.听

Watch It Online

If you haven鈥檛 seen the film, or just want to see it a second (or third) time, you can watch it online whenever you want.听You can stream it right now if you have a subscription to . If not, it鈥檚 available for rent or purchase on all the major streaming services, including , , , and .

National Geographic, which funded and distributed the movie, has it available on their TV app (cable or satellite subscription required).

See It at the Theater

And if you can see it on the big screen, you definitely should. It鈥檚 still popping up from time to time in theaters around the country.

.

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