Bob_Tarlau's Blog

You've probably heard of the adventure apparel firm Patagonia -- based in Ventura. The company and its founder, the environmental crusader Yvon Chouinard, are the focus of a half hour special on Fox 11 this Fri (Feb 15) at 10:30PM.

Yvon is defined by his high-risk adventures, physical work and keen and green business sense. As Carlos Amezcua will report, Yvon became one of the corporate world's very early environmentalists. And he still is... and now he's alarmed, telling Carlos: "We are killing the planet. I am very pessimistic."

Yvon got into the high-quality outdoor clothing business after years as a blacksmith, forging the climbing implements called pitons. You'll see Yvon make one for Carlos.

Patagonia took in 270-million dollars last year, but this isn't just about the money. As he says: "We're going to take responsibility for our clothing from birth until birth."  It's about recycling and caring for the environmental footprint of what he makes and sells. It's also about being among the first to provide child care at the workplace... and about flex time: he allows his people to go surfing on his time.

Fortune Magazine calls Patagonia a green business "that's conducted upside down and inside out." In our half-hour special -- called "Patagonia: Company With A Conscience," we'll show you why that works.

So please join us this Fri evening at 10:30P (right after the Fox 11 News at 10P) for this very special half hour.

Finally-- in addition to Carlos, I'd like to thank Ken Moore for the excellent photography, Mark Sudock for the fine job of editing, Miquel Valdivia for the finely crafted graphics, along with managing editor Larry Coner, assistant news director Tom Searson and our VP of News, Jose Rios.   It was Jose who suggested the project.  I was the producer and writer.

Thanks in advance for watching.

Cheers, Bob