The Sustainable Climber Podcast: Recent Episodes
McKay Williams
Hi, my name is McKay! Welcome to the Sustainable Climber Podcast, a one of a kind open mic podcast where I and hopefully others will speak our written word, including poetry, music and short essays about a sustainable future on planet earth; all from the lenses of climbers and other wilderness dwellers alike. I found my passion for preserving and protecting the earth's wildness from escaping into the vertical wilderness through rock climbing. Since being re-introduced to climbing as a 21 year old I've found that my desire to be an environmental advocate has grown simultaneously with my desire to climb. This desire has lead me to use my voice in various ways to make a real difference in the trajectory of our future as human beings and climbers on our beautiful home; planet earth. One of those ways is this podcast which I hope will be a place I can share my thoughts, feelings and anxieties about all this stuff. Like I said at the beginning, this is an open mic podcast. Think of it as an actual open mic night at your favorite coffee shop. Please share your thoughts, feelings and anxieties with me in whatever art form you'd like and I will share them on the podcast as if you were here with me, standing up at the mic, letting your voice be heard.
On this episode I share my poem, The Desert is Calling, that I wrote after recent bikepacking trip in the desert of southern Utah. I share a bit of my history with Utah as well as my frustration with the way Utah politicians have handled public land and indigenous land management.
Here are some links to organizations that you can get involved with to protect America's public lands as well as contemporary indigenous issues:
Patagonia Action Works
https://www.patagonia.com/actionworks/home/choose-location/
The Access Fund
https://www.accessfund.org/take-action/campaigns
Outdoor Alliance
https://www.outdooralliance.org/
Protect Our Winters
https://protectourwinters.org/join-team-pow/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwr-SSBhC9ARIsANhzu174NT_iYww34cgnQO-0Kl17-MyFm-1x_nX-7HwbzQQF-avRJfG1nVMaAlCKEALw_wcB
Natives Outdoors
https://natives-outdoors.com/
Indigenous Climate Action
https://www.indigenousclimateaction.com/
Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition
https://www.bearsearscoalition.org/
The Desert is Calling Poem:
The desert is calling
From its deep red heart
Cathedrals and temples towering
It is there our dreams start
What a delicate ecosystem
Of sand, sage and spirit
We must change our own system
If we want to protect it
For desert dwellers
It feels like a home
Whether a climber, runner or peddler
We make it our own
The desert is sacred
A space to be shared
Not to be divided by greed and hatred
A place for hearts to be mended and souls repaired
Original Artwork by McKay Williams
Music by Sugar Lime Blue
In this episode I share my first poem on the podcast; A Culture at Risk. It's one of the first poems I've written about climbing culture and I feel it's very representative of my anxieties within seeking for a place in climbing culture. If you have similar thoughts you'd like to share about climbing culture or outdoor culture, please share them with me!
A Culture at Risk
One step, two step
Third and fourth
I have to admit
It’s hard to determine my worth
I seek to be reassured
As we all want to be
That the parts of climbing I can treasure
Don’t just have to be climbing 5.15b
Climbing is a lifestyle
Climbing is choice
To speak out against and revile
Our cultures conventional voice
Let us not forget
The lessons learned of past
And let not our generations steps
Become our futures last
If we want to sustain climbing culture
Let each be their own
Let not grades and feats be our sepulcher
And let no one feel alone
Original Artwork by McKay Williams
Music by Sugar Lime Blue
In this episode, I have the opportunity to interview Dr. Shahir Masri who is a professor at the University of California, Irvine, founder of "On the road for climate action" and a big time surfer and climber. We discuss the basics of climate change, what impact it has on outdoor recreation and how wilderness dwellers like myself can get involved with the movement to fight for our climate and our planet!
Dr. Masri's website: https://shahirmasri.com/
Dr. Masri's Instagram: @dr.shahirmasri
Artwork by Wilkinson Visual
In this episode, I introduce myself (McKay W.) and my new intentions for this podcast! Stay groovy and please share your art with me!
Ending music - Cover of Morning Dew by Sugar Lime Blue