Support Eric's 100-Mile Hike for the NRDC

"Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul." -Edward Abbey

As a coping mechanism for the environmental gloom that I, along with many of you, feel, I have decided to start a fundraising event for the Natural Resources Defense Council. I have personally followed this organization for many years, dating back to when the group of lawyers, scientists, and environmental specialists fought back against Trump's first administration to file an impressive 163 cases with a 90% win rate of resolved cases. The NRDC is back at it again, standing up against the Trump 2.0 administration by working to safeguard the planet, animals, and people.

As someone who spends most of his time outdoors both professionally and recreationally, the many attacks on our country's natural resources have hit very close to home. What better way to combine my love for ecology/the natural world with my love for hiking than to do a hike-a-thon to raise money for an environmental litigation group?

Starting Earth Day, I will backpack 100 miles continuously as a way to raise funds for the Natural Resources Defense Council. I encourage you to donate and share this around within your own circles if you are also feeling a sense of hopelessness and want to find a productive way to support a group that is doing amazing work to protect people and planet. It's time for us to find strength within our communities and show that we will not roll over when our natural world gets sold off to the highest bidder.

If you know me, you know that I cannot and will not idly stand by as our leadership shifts to profit over planet. In the past two months, we have already been intentionally overwhelmed by environmental rollbacks and attacks on natural resources under the guise of these changes benefitting our economy, without a second thought for who feels the effects or what experts say on the topics at hand. Destroying ecosystems for short term profits will cost both people and the environment in the long run. The purposeful ignorance of how our natural systems work and the realities that these actions will have on the vast majority of people (not the small, select group of corporate donors and billionaires) shows where our administration's priorities lie. Our planet is worth protecting.

I am well aware that times are tough right now financially for most of us, but any donation is greatly appreciated. Sharing this fundraiser is also an excellent way to engage! I will be raising money over the next month while I figure out the exact logistics of the hike and will be fully transparent with that process. Instead of going out and buying a drink one evening or eating a meal out, consider sending a small donation to this fundraiser instead.

As always, I wish you all the best and thank you for taking the time to read through this. Happy trails and happy living.

Much Love,

Eric "Roadside" Bastidas

P.S Your donations are tax deductible and I highly encourage you to look into donation matching at your workplace :D