Outdoor Giant Patagonia to Give $10 Million in Trump Tax Cuts to the Planet

Trump's tax cuts are going to his least favorite cause.

Credit: image via Patagonia

Leading outdoor clothing, gear, and food manufacturer, Patagonia, says it will donate all of its $10 million in tax savings as a result of the Trump admininstration’s tax cuts. The money will go to various environmental organizations.

The California-based company has been a supporter of environmental issues for years; one percent of all sales currently go to environmental protection and education groups.

Founder in the 1970s by outdoor enthusiast Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia has been at odds with Trump since he took office two years ago. The company led a battle to preserve two national monuments Trump planned to reduce. Both located in Utah, the red rocky Bears Ears canyon is home to significant archeological sites, and Grand Staircase-Escalante is a remote area of canyons the size of Deleware. Trump reduced Bears Ears by 85 percent and vut Grand Staircase-Escalante’s range by 50 percent last year to staunch criticism. Patagonia has joined several lawsuits aiming to reverse Trump’s decision.

The move to donate all of Patagonia’s tax cuts comes as the president remains critical of climate change action, including withdrawing the United States from the highly regarded Paris Agreement. Most recently, Trump cited his “very high levels of intelligence” for his doubts on the effects of climate change, despite a mounting scientific body of evidence pointing to its threats. A recent study found climate change will significantly impact the U.S. economy if not remedied. Another study found the U.S. National Parks are taking the brunt of the impact of climate change.

“Our government continues to ignore the seriousness and causes of the climate crisis. It is pure evil,”  Chouinard said in a statement. “We need to double down on renewable energy solutions. We need an agriculture system that supports small family farms and ranches, not one that rewards chemical companies intent on destroying our planet and poisoning our food. And we need to protect our public lands and waters because they are all we have left.”

Patagonia says it will contribute to One Percent for the Planet as well as “groups committed to protecting air, land and water and finding solutions to the climate crisis.”

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