‘LETMY PEOPLE GO SURFING: THE EDUCATION OF A RELUCTANT BUSINESSMAN’ How Patagonia’s Founder Set a New Standard for Environmental Responsibility
February is American Heart Month. There are many ways to improve your heart health, including quitting smoking or getting more exercise, but there are some heart health habits you might not realize you are doing. Did you know donating to charity or holding the door open for a stranger is good for your health? Practicing acts of kindness has a tangible impact on our health and overall well-being. Being kind is good for the heart. When we do something kind, our body creates a hormone called oxytocin. This hormone is responsible for that “warm, fuzzy” feeling we get from being kind. Dr. David R. Hamilton, an organic chemist, found that oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide, which dilates our blood vessels. When our blood vessels are dilated, our blood pressure goes down. Dr. Hamilton called oxytocin a “cardioprotective” because lowering blood pressure helps protect the heart. Being kind can help us live longer. In the book “Raising Happiness,” Dr. Christine Carter discusses how kindness is a better indicator of 2 From the very beginning of his 2006 memoir, “Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman,” it’s clear that Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, is not the typical entrepreneur. As a kid, Chouinard wanted to be a fur trapper, and rather than going into business with dreams of getting rich, he started making climbing gear to fund his passion for scaling cliffs and adventuring in the outdoors. “Let My People Go Surfing” follows Patagonia’s meteoric rise through its victories and rough patches — including the stalled growth that led to layoffs of 20% of the staff in the 1990s — but its main focus is on the company’s ideals. In plain, forthright, and sometimes irascible language, Chouinard lays out Patagonia’s growth goals, culture aims, and environmental stewardship efforts. The last of which is truly the core of the brand. Patagonia prioritizes minimalism, function, durability, and reparability in all of its products, from backpacks to jackets. It tracks the energy and water use of
its facilities, works to eliminate pollution, focuses on recycled and recyclable materials, participates in environmental activism, funds environmental organizations worldwide, and even encourages shoppers to send in worn-out apparel for reuse and repair. In short, over the course of 272 pages, Chouinard proves he not only talks the talk but also walks the walk — and has made millions championing his cause. He encourages other entrepreneurs to do the same, laying out Patagonia’s footsteps and philosophies for readers to follow. Many already have. “Let My People Go Surfing” was updated and rereleased in 2016, but either version will make entrepreneurs think twice about their environmental impact and what they can do to reduce it. As one Amazon reviewer wrote, “Whether you’re a manager or business owner looking to motivate your employees and create a sustainable business, or a fan of Patagonia, or someone curious about how to live a life you can feel good about, this book should work for you.”
BE KIND
longevity, outranking physical health, exercise, gender, lifestyle habits, and other contributing factors. “Giving help to others protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease,” Dr. Carter wrote. “People 55 and older who volunteer for two or more organizations have an impressive 44% lower likelihood of dying early … This is a stronger effect than exercising four times a week or going to church.”
Being kind makes us happier. It feels good when someone is nice to us, and it turns out it feels good to be nice to someone else. In 2010, Harvard Business School conducted a survey of happiness in 136 countries and found that people who are altruistic — specifically, people who were generous financially, which included charitable donations — were happiest overall. This is likely because being kind created serotonin, a hormone that helps heal wounds, makes us feel calmer, and increases levels of happiness. Being kind is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways we can change our lives. The best part is that kindness is contagious. Research from Dartmouth College found that when someone witnesses a kind act, they are more likely to “pay it forward” and do a kindness for others. When we’re kind, we literally have the power to make the world a better place.
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