Online Journal

We loved seeing the news about our wallet pop up on Bike Rumor. Especially fun was reading the comments! 

It’s 2020, and most cycling media websites now include sections covering professional women’s races, events, and team news. Sometimes these updates are rolled into the main feed along with the latest Peter Sagan tidbit, but more often than not, there are separate sections attending to men and women. The bike industry is a sprawling complex of both old school and thoroughly contemporary cultures centered around the pursuit of speed on two wheels.

Their small range of products are lightweight, durable and produced mostly from deadstock. We got a closer look at two of their bags, the Echelon All-Conditions Ride Pouch and the Tour de Fierce Ultralight Cycling Wallet.
Both products we looked at are nicely designed, but it’s the sustainable focus of Fierce Hazel that really has us frothing. Both the wallet and the pouch are made entirely from deadstock – specifically, unused material left over at the factory by bigger clients who overestimated the amount required for production. Which is pretty flippin’ awesome.
Add to this the fact that they’re ethically produced by hand at a factory that pays a living wage, has reasonable working hours, and a good work environment, and Fierce Hazel are ticking a whole lot of incredible boxes.

 

Simply put, farming sustainably means producing more with less. As the populations grow and driving up the demand for food, we need to develop an integrated approach to managing landscapes—farmland, livestock, forests, and fisheries--that address the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change. We need to meet the current global need for food without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) aims to increase food production, increase farming systems' resilience to environmental change, and increase agricultural systems sustainability through reduced Green House Gases (GHGs) and environmental footprints emanating from agriculture. 

A camping trip for two can be as romantic as any other weekend away – for this year, at least, we can't jump on a plane to Paris or Mexico. So let's make the best of it! From setting up camp and cooking on an open fire to experiencing the outdoor lifestyle, the absence of  people and modern distractions means that you can truly focus on each other. 

Coral Reefs are the most diverse of all marine ecosystems and are the Earth's largest living structure occupying about 1% of the world's marine environment. These large underwater structures are composed of marine invertebrates called coral. Unfortunately, 25% of coral reefs have been irrevocably damaged. Harsh fishing practices, coral mining, and climate change are some of the reasons behind their destruction. 

Riding your bike can be anything from urban transportation to a grueling endurance challenge and everything in-between. You should always carry your essentials: a photo ID, a little cash or credit card, and your phone for emergencies, so our Echelon All-Conditions Ride Pouch is critical for your ride basics. For longer rides or if you prefer to carry your tool kit in your jersey pocket, the Tour de Fierce Cycling Wallet will hold all you need and more. It's the perfect essentials cycling wallet.

Water access is a global crisis, as millions of people do not have access to water, and it is at the core of sustainable development. It's necessary for socio-economic development, food production, healthy ecosystems, and for basic human survival. As the planet adapts to climate change, it is the crucial link between society and the environment.

In many American cities, when a motorist spots a cyclist sharing the road with them, they might jump to the conclusion that it's some unruly kid recklessly disrupting the flow of traffic. But a disdain of urban cyclists is morphing into acceptance. Just as more and more people choose their cell phones over landlines, the likelihood of urban dwellers relying on bicycles instead of cars for transportation is increasing. 

A long-distance hike can be tough. The better prepared you are, the more able you will be to meet the challenges it presents, and the more enjoyment you'll get from the experience.  Once you're on the trail, your life will slow down dramatically to the pace of just putting one foot in front of another. If you're not ready for it, and if your mind is still racing away to deal with the challenges of the 21st-century urban environment, you're not going to get the most out of the experience. It may take a few days to find the right rhythm, but having a relaxed mind and body will help you easily get into your stride.

Every action that doesn't damage the environment or deplete a resource is sustainable.  However, be it Urban or Rural community, SUSTAIN-ability becomes a watchword. They are both faced with conflict, crime, inequality, social exclusion, violence and fragility, and climate change and disaster risks. Building inclusive and sustainable communities is essential for eliminating extreme poverty and creating growth at the local, regional, and national levels.

Bikepacking is a more adventurous form of cycling, where you can go out and explore for several days. You carry what you need on your bike, can you can spend from one night to several weeks on the trail. We gathered the basics you'll need for a 1 or 2 night trip.

The topic of gear can be overwhelming in any sport, and backpacking supplies for a dog are no different. It is too easy to get inundated with options and soon feel like you are hemorrhaging money to prepare for your excursion. Here are some of the most essential items to consider for a backpacking trip with your dog.

The exterior fabric of our Evolution Convertible Backpack is Upcycled! Made from remnants that otherwise would be discarded. We use scraps cutaway in the construction of another product that, in the past, were too small to use and were sent to the landfill.  We rescue those pieces and repurpose them for the exterior, main fabric. The material, Olefin, is lightweight, strong, and highly stain-resistant making it an ideal fabric for our gear.

Like Fierce Hazel, Longobardi is a passionate lover of nature and the outdoors and protecting and preserving it. She learned her love of the world’s ocean from her parents—one an ocean lifeguard and the other a state diving champ. From a young age, she became aware of the use and misuse of natural resources. As a girl she watched a neighborhood pond drained to make the high school she would later attend, making a lasting impression. Reducing excessive consumption and waste is a motivating factor in both Fierce Hazel’s sustainable bags and Longobardi’s eco-art. Fierce Hazel rescues material from the factory floor while Longobardi salvages plastic debris from the coastal and marine shores.

Plastics are the problem, the alarm, and the messenger in all of Longobardi’s conceptual art installations, paintings, photography, and sculptures. Plastics pervade our lives. Imagine your daily routine: hair combs, toothbrushes, gym equipment, sports balls, water bottles, satellite dishes, flip flops, Mardi Gras beads, and car parts. They are harmful to humans and animals from toxic pollutants. They destroy natural habitats and are often found in the stomachs of sea birds, turtles, and whales. It’s predicted that plastics are accumulating so fast that they will exceed the mass of all fish in the ocean by 2050. Plastics do not biodegrade, aren’t digestible, and can take hundreds of years to break down. Once found discarded from the ocean, they are evidence of crimes against nature, according to Longobardi. She aims to reduce the use of plastics and increase conservation. 

Mountain biking brings a solitude on the trails that causes us to forget about our day-to-day responsibilities. It demands we focus on the present moment. Maybe it is the speed, or perhaps it's the obstacles presented on single-track that forces one to be in the moment and starts the flow.  Hitting the trails and getting lost on the ride becomes a moving meditation. All that matters is you, the bike and the trail. A sandwich and having the right gear makes the ride that much better and lasts that much longer. 

Biodiversity is important for the ecosystems and species of which they are comprised, because it enables them to adapt to changes and survive adverse conditions.  The more species present, and the more genetic diversity in each species, the more likely it is that at least some individuals in at least some of the species will be able to survive in a changed environment, or will be able to resist a disease

Not only is mountain biking a fun activity that promotes exercise, but it’s off-road nature also lends itself to finding a deeper connection with nature among the wilderness areas where mountain biking trails are found.   If you’re interested in mountain biking, you’re first going to need to research and purchase gear.

Don’t let the fear of the unknown that comes with a new hobby keep you from pursuing a unique outdoor experience. Even if you stick with flat, rolling dirt paths through the woods, you’re still mountain biking. Don’t be afraid to work your way up to more technical rides at your own pace, and don’t worry if you take a few spills; even the experts fall.