For decades, the outdoor industry has celebrated innovation through synthetics—lighter, stronger, and more technical fabrics made from petroleum-based materials.

But as we grapple with the environmental costs of producing many synthetic products, is a shift underway?

Wool, waxed cotton, hemp, and other natural materials might be making a comeback —not as a nostalgic throwback, but as brands and individuals innovate with them, proving they can be high-performing, sustainable alternatives to synthetic fibers.

One of the people leading that charge is Patrick Clark, founder of Lucky Sheep and author of the book A Rewilder’s Guide to Outdoor Adventure.

Patrick has developed a full backpacking kit made almost entirely from natural fibers—with a base weight of just 20 pounds. From lightweight wool sleeping bags to waxed canvas backpacks, his designs challenge the idea that performance has to come at the cost of sustainability.

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Lucky Sheep

Website: https://www.woolsleepingbag.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luckysheepgear/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LuckySheepOutdoorGear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuckySheepSleepingBags

Here's what happened during the week of October 27 - 31 with our Public Lands:

- Mike Lee's three new proposals that threaten public lands with Neal Clark from the Southwest Utah Wilderness Alliance

- National Parks remain understaffed, but open during the ongoing shutdown

- Over 500 new oil and gas permits were approved during the shutdown period

- Trump administration will open the entire 1.56 million acres of the Coastal Plain within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing

The Center for Western Priorities Oil & Gas Tracker: ⁠https://westernpriorities.org/2025/10/oil-gas-government-shutdown-tracker/⁠

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Depending on where you live, if you’ve ever driven a snowy mountain road or parked your car after a winter storm, you’ve probably seen that familiar crust of salt left behind. It’s easy to think of road salt as just another part of winter, and a simple fix for icy conditions.

But that same salt, once it washes off our roads, has a far-reaching impact on the water we drink and the lakes or streams that we love.

Across the Northeast and beyond, road salt has become a threat to freshwater ecosystems. It seeps into wells and disrupts aquatic life. In New York State, scientists are warning that the overuse of salt could be creating “thousands of mini-Flints,” a public health crisis unfolding one winter at a time.

Today, we’re joined by Dr. Brendan Wiltse, Executive Director of the Lake George Association, the nation’s first lake conservation organization, founded in 1885. The LGA has been leading efforts to protect Lake George, known as the “Queen of American Lakes,” through science and community collaboration.

Dr. Wiltse’s decades of research in aquatic ecology and his leadership at the LGA shed light on how salt pollution, climate change, and infrastructure are interconnected, and what we can all do to protect our clean water.

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Lake George Association

Website: https://lakegeorgeassociation.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakegeorgeassociation/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeGeorgeAssociation

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LakeGeorgeAssoc