Green and Local

Midwest Mountaineering tries to balance contributions to “people, planet and profit” by conserving resources and promoting the well-being of all.  We hope that we consider the needs of our customers, our employees, our community and our planet.

Specifically We:

• Donate 10% of our profits to environmental and wilderness causes.
• Buy “wind offsets” from our local energy provider.  This promotes the larger scale production of wind energy.
• Make and sell re-usable canvas and recycled-material shopping bags.
• Subsidize our employees who take public transportation to work and pay our employees to ride their bicycles to work.
• Encourage environmental activism among our employees.
• Sell locally made products where possible, thus minimizing usage of energy for transportation and helping to keep our local businesses sustainable.
• Sell products made by the most eco-conscious companies in the outdoor industry.
• Repair old gear and clothing in Thrifty Outfitters – sustaining its life and saving resources.
• Provide at-the-store Midwest Renewable Energy Association classes on solar panels, solar hot water and wind energy.
• Annually sponsor the “Taylors Falls Clean-up” – a clean-up and beautification program for a popular climbing area.
• Provide meeting space for many local conservation and environmental groups.

Annually we give grants to many environmental and wilderness-supporting organizations (most of them local) including:

• Mississippi Whitewater Park
• North Country Trail Association
• Kinnickinnic River Land Trust - a community based land trust dedicated to working with the community to protect the natural resources and scenic beauty of the Kinnickinnic River watershed.
• University of Minnesota Raptor Center – Ensures the health of raptors and the world we share through teaching, research and service.
• Superior Hiking Trail Association
• Friends of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
• Minnesota Parks and Trails Council
• The Conservation Alliance
• Xcel Windsource – local energy company wind energy program.