The Outdoor Citizen - by John Judge (Paperback)

About the Book

"A groundbreaking volume from the president and CEO of the Appalachian Mountain Club makes the profound argument that to preserve the environment, a revolution must take place in which every person becomes a champion for nature and the outdoors. In The Outdoor Citizen, John Judge coins the term "the outdoor citizen" delivering his remarkably persuasive argument that we must all become citizens of the natural world, owning and instilling in the next generation a keen interest in the outdoors and reconnecting with life's most essential foundation: nature. Over the next quarter century more than three billion people will join the middle class in the developing world at a rate of 140 to 170 million annually. This new group of consumers will demand more goods and services and use prodigious amounts of energy. This could lead to a ten-fold increase in carbon emissions and devastating, irreversible effects on the earth. Through The Outdoor Citizen, there is, at last, an easy-to-follow plan for all people to contribute to the cause of preserving the environment. It is also a call to action to commit to an active outdoor lifestyle and make the outdoors an epicenter for our communities. It is a game-changer for saving our environment and an entry point into a world of healthier and happier people."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

From world-renowned environmentalist John Judge comes an astoundingly comprehensive plan to save our planet, make the outdoors the epicenter of our communities, and commit to an active outdoor lifestyle.

In The Outdoor Citizen, John Judge coins the term "Outdoor Citizen" as he delivers an urgent call to action and a remarkably persuasive argument for why we must all become citizens of the natural world, reconnecting with life's most essential foundation, nature, and defending it, embracing it, and advocating for it.

Judge, an international leader in conservation stewardship, covers such topics as how to turn our cities into Outdoor Cities, with a wide range of green spaces, outdoor recreation activities, eco-friendly transportation, and sustainable food sources; how to globally transition to green energy sources; what environmental policies must be implemented and how to enact them; and how to fund a sustainable economy.

At a time when we are facing an unprecedented climate crisis, the continued use of carbon emissions will lead to devastating, irreversible effects on the earth. This unique and riveting volume, brimming with expert advice and case studies, is unparalleled--a game-changer for saving our planet and an entry point into a world of healthier and happier people.

Review Quotes

"In this compelling and necessary book, John Judge offers a bold new model for environmental policy and action beginning with the truth that a personal connection with the outdoors is the first step toward preserving it. The Outdoor Citizen is a visionary blueprint for how individuals, communities, and, indeed, our entire civilization must act to become outdoor-centric in an epoch defined by both climate change and miraculous technological promise." --Joseph E. Aoun, President of Northeastern University

"With the extraordinary experience as president of America's oldest conservation and outdoors organization, John Judge maps out a new framework for global outdoor citizenship, a vision for conservation coupled with an appreciation for an active outdoor lifestyle. As a company founded to help people explore wild places and an early leader in how to be a socially and environmentally responsible business, Patagonia believes there is a sense of urgency--today more than ever--for all of us to be champions for the outdoors and our home planet." --Rose Marcario, President and CEO of Patagonia

"The Outdoor Citizen sets forth a framework for all of us to participate in the fun of the outdoors, while embracing a responsibility to conservation stewardship. As the chief executive of America's oldest conservation organization, the Appalachian Mountain Club, John understands firsthand the power of nature to transform our lives through deeper outdoor recreational and conservation experiences." --Steve Smith, CEO of L.L. Bean

"Since 2013, Outdoor Afro has been working alongside the Appalachian Mountain Club with a shared mission to train the next generation of outdoor leaders and Outdoor Citizens. John Judge's efforts have prioritized making the outdoors accessible to all, which has included expanding leadership training and outdoor skills learning; building hundreds of miles of trails in underserved areas; and establishing outdoor centers and nature-based programs in urban areas." --Rue Mapp, Founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro

"John Judge is uniquely qualified to outline a vision for the next generation of Outdoor Citizens. The legendary activists of the 60s and 70s made incredible progress in turning the tide of profit vs. conservation, but those victories are ancient history now and we are waiting for the next generation of heroes to emerge. The Outdoor Citizen makes a strong case for how that can happen." --Dan Nordstrom, Owner and CEO of Outdoor Research

"This compelling call to action . . . is a well-researched, exceptionally detailed blueprint for saving the planet. If even a tenth of what he recommends comes to fruition, the world would be a better place." --Appalachia Journal

About the Author

John Judge is an internationally renowned advocate for connecting people with the outdoors, conservation stewardship, and advancing the outdoor economy. He is the founder of Next Ecology, which strives to create a new era of human-nature interdependence. Next Ecology works with partners to advance an outdoors open and accessible to all. From small parks to large conservation lands, they believe high quality user experience and engagement are key to improve living standards for humankind while fostering a new era of conservation stewardship. Judge served as president and chief executive officer of The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees), the oldest statewide land trust in the United States, which cares for nearly twenty-seven thousand acres and welcomes more than two million people annually to its 123 reservations. Prior to his role with The Trustees, he served for ten years as president and chief executive officer of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), which was founded in 1876 and is the oldest outdoor recreation and conservation organization in the United States, with a community of hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts, program participants, conservation advocates, members, volunteers, and overnight guests. Judge has also served as the chief planning and economic development officer for Springfield, Massachusetts, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston, and worked in a variety of nonprofit leadership roles. He is a graduate of Stonehill College and the Harvard Kennedy School, and lives in Greater Boston, MA.