Here’s a couple of films about Douglas Tompkins, who founded the North Face and the Esprit companies.
If that was as far as the history went, it would be a successful but boring story.
Who wants to learn about another businessman?
There’s more to the story, though.
Doug Tompkins took his money….and worked to affect the ecology of Chile (and the world) in a big way by saving large tracts of land and protecting them from development.
Here’s the description of this movie from YouTube:
Douglas Tompkins was a world-renowned adventurer, entrepreneur, and conservationist. Co-founder of The North Face and Esprit, Doug spent the first half of his life building successful, global brands, while simultaneously adventuring around the world, completing first descents of the world’s toughest rivers. In 1968 Doug embarked on a trip to Chile, driving with friends from California to the tip of Patagonia. Documented in the film Mountain of Storms, the trip solidified Doug’s place as rock climbing legend. In the early 1990s, Doug sold his part of Esprit and moved down to Chile to do conservation work full time with his wife, Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, the former CEO of Patagonia, Inc. Together, over the last 25 years, Doug and Kris have protected 2.2 million acres, more land than any other individuals. The foundations under the Tompkins Conservation umbrella, along with their partners, have created five national parks in Chile and Argentina and are in the process of creating five more. A Wild Legacy tells the story of Doug’s incredible life, his lasting impact on the wild landscapes of Patagonia, and Kris and the Tompkins Conservation team’s efforts to continue his audacious mission.
Doug was tragically killed in a kayaking accident on Lago General Carrera, north of Patagonia Park, on December 8th, 2015. Douglas Tompkins: A Wild Legacy was presented to audiences at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival on May 24th, 2016 during the festival’s tribute to Doug.
“If anything can save the world, I’d put my money on beauty” – Douglas Tompkins
The work goes on at tompkinsconservation.org.
Film from Outside Television.
This second video is one from Tompkins Conservation….a tribute program….a eulogy.
This guy was an interesting character with an interesting life….and he had some good and interesting friends.
It’s long….but worth watching if you have a couple of free hours.