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A new report on the health and status of the Earth's wilderness areas has provided some startlingly results, but not just for the fact that our wild places are getting smaller and further endangered. According to a new study conducted by the University of Queensland and the Wildlife Conservation Society , roughly 94% of the planet's wildernesses are controlled by just 20 countries. Even more alarming is that about 70% of those areas are under the direct control of just five nations. For the purposes of the study, both Antarctica and the world's oceans were omitted from the research, which chose to instead focus on the six inhabited continents, along with islands scattered across the surface of the Earth as well. With those geographical restrictions in place, it was determined that the U.S., Canada, Russia, Brazil, and Australia are the five countries that hold the most sway over the remaining wild regions of the planet. The research was conducted using high-resolution sate...

We don't dip our toe into the political waters too often here at The Adventure Blog �� other than the occasional mention of government activity as related to climate change. But last week one of the most prominent members of the outdoor industry took the unprecedented step of endorsing two candidates for the U.S. Senate, leaving little doubt as to where its priorities and loyalties lie. For years, outdoor gear manufacturer Patagonia has been an outspoken advocate of protecting the environment and public lands. But in a bold move, the company has officially endorsed two Democratic candidates running for election this fall. Those two candidates include Jacky Rosen and Jon Tester, who are campaigning in Nevada and Montana respectively. In a press release announcing the endorsements last week, Patagonia officials indicated that Rosen and Tester's commitment to protecting public lands helped earn the company's support. Patagonia's founder and CEO Yvon Chouinard is a dedicate...

It's no secret that the outdoor industry is looking to get more eco-friendly. Gear manufacturers big and small have launched initiatives to make their products better for the environment by using fabrics made from recycled materials, employing manufacturing processes that require less water, and launching initiatives to repair and recycle older gear. Heck, I even wrote a whole piece on eco-friendly gear for Popular Mechanics  recently that included 13 unique items from across the industry. Now, Backpacker has followed suit, posting an article on the best eco-friendly gear for hikers as well. Their list isn't quite as extensive as the one that I put together, offering up just five choices. But, the products that they selected are good ones that deserve a spot in your closet. Without giving too much away, the Backpacker  story includes a set of hiking boots from Keen , a shell jacket from Marmot , a shirt from Vaude , pants from Fj�llr�ven , and an environmentally friendly ba...

Way back in June we reported on the start of long distance swimmer Ben Lecomte's attempt to swim across the Pacific Ocean. Later, we followed up that story with an update on his progress and the news that he was encountering far more trash and plastic debris than expected. Now, we have further news on this monumental undertaking as the French endurance athlete passes a major milestone. Lecomte is now approaching the end of his fourth month in the water and progress has been slow and difficult at times. When he set out, he estimated that it would take roughly 180 days to complete what he calls The Long Swim . But this undertaking is proving even harder than he suspected as Ben has only now passed the 1000 nautical mile (1150 miles/1852 km) mark. Still, he isn't about to give up and there is a lot to accomplish out on the water yet. Part of the challenge has been the number of massive storms that Ben and his team have encountered while crossing the Pacific. There has been an u...

One of the hot-button political issues in recent years has been the debate over climate change. On one side you have the group that believe it is is very real and that in the decades ahead it will heave a stunning impact on our planet. On the other side, you have a group who believes that climate change isn't really a threat and may not be happening at all. Sprinkled amongst this debate is the ongoing question of whether or not humans are contributing to the changes in any way and what we can do to slow or reverse the effects. Now, a new report predicts catastrophic changes to the planet, and it comes from a pretty unlikely source. In August, the Trump Administration released a new report  that says that if fossil fuel consumption continues to grow unchecked the Earth will see a 7�F (4�C) increase in temperature by 2100. That means that in a little more than 80 years, we could see a massive increase in temperature what would likely prove to be a disaster on an unprecedented scale f...