The first time I drove the Chilcotin Highway in British Columbia was decades ago. It remains one of the most special roads I’ve been on, but the impacts of climate change are visible everywhere. Before the turn of the century, the impact of pine beetle infestations was easy to spot – small swaths of brown among endless stands of green. Over the years on annual pilgrimages north, I’ve seen the devastation unfold before my eyes. Millions upon millions of trees are dead and dying because the winters are no longer cold enough to keep the bark beetles at bay. Estimates say that upwards of 50% of the pine forest has been destroyed. In recent years, those dead trees have become fuel for raging wildfires that have wreaked havoc on the forest and the small First Nations communities there. In 2017, I witnessed the aftermath of the largest fire in BC history. I was teary-eyed and speechless as I drove for hours and hours through a smoldering wasteland of dead trees, all of it a product of our changing climate. My trip through ruined ancestral Tsilhqot’in lands, and the smoke that hung over my Seattle home for weeks that summer made it impossible to ignore that things are changing.
I know I’m not the first to say that we’re all here together, connected, and dependent on each other for our future. Nor am I the first to acknowledge that if we don’t take bold action to address human-caused climate change, we’re facing the threat of self-accelerating, irreversible, ecological collapse. What I do know firsthand is that our climate is changing dramatically, and I am compelled into action because there is no Planet B.
There has never been a better moment for bold leadership. While individuals and governments play a key role, industry must lead as well. Companies must evolve new business strategies to help regenerate environmental value and ultimately reverse human-caused climate breakdown. Tackling these issues is critical but learning how to “walk the walk” through a world of changing sentiments, standards, and expectations is not easy.
Bridge Partners is here to help
What started as a personal passion for me and many team members at Bridge Partners has evolved into a firm-wide effort. We’ve been collaborating with some of the world’s largest companies to make their sustainability commitments real, from top to bottom, for their executives, employees, customers, partners, and investors. Over the years, we’ve built a deep experience to help clients develop a 360-degree view and create a competitive advantage through sustainable business practices.
Our Sustainability services bridge the critical gap between business and science. Our expertise spans sustainability strategy, program management, and communications so you can drive immediate and lasting positive change within and outside your organization. Working together, we’ll help you realize your business goals and drive measurable impact. And we’ll elevate your sustainability initiatives with your employees, suppliers, partners, and customers, differentiating you in the marketplace.
Our purpose at Bridge Partners is to create opportunity and impact for our customers, our people, and our communities in a sustainable and responsible way. We’ve been thinking about and acting on sustainability for years. As we’ve advanced our customers’ initiatives, we’ve also made our own set of Sustainability Commitments that include net-zero carbon, zero-waste, and environmental justice goals.
Sustainability expertise is embedded in the way that we work with every one of our clients. We’re serious about environmental sustainability and we’re committed to building a more sustainable future with you.
Reach out and learn more because the stakes couldn’t be higher.
About the author
