Let them go surfing: March Book Club Recap

You’ve surely heard of the company “Patagonia”- but have you heard about the book written by their founder and owner Yvon Chouinard: let my people go surfing? Named after his unconventional philosophy toward “corporate” work-life balance, the book offers insights on how he built his own brand, quite by accident, and which maybe surprising “business models” he decided to use. Every other month we host a book club at the bakery cafe but we also encourage readers from anywhere to join in by diving into the month’s choice. 

Let my people go surfing was our choice for March’s read. 

The book weaves together the author’s call for sustainable and environmentally forward business practices- a notion sometimes perpetuated by companies in marketing, but rarely carried out to a meaningful extent in practice. Yvon is a visionary in the way of environmental stewardship, born of his love for adventuring in the outdoors and wanting to preserve these sacred spaces while delivering durable gear to make every adventure great. He weaves stories of his “high risk” sports amidst the pages. Whether reading through the lens of entrepreneurship or simply to learn more about the philosophy behind humans’ impact on the planet and our role in caring for it, this book has takeaways for everyone. 

At Tucker and Co Granola we are committed to our own practices of conservation and sustainability, carefully sourcing both ingredients and packaging with as little burden on our earth as possible. We are committed to protecting our wild places, curating a high protein, nutrient dense snack for your on-the-road adventures. Our granola is packable, an ideal non-perishable mid-trail snack. Whether you enjoy our granola in the great outdoors or as a morning pick-me-up at home. We are very intentional about the growth of our business, every step of the way and books like Yvon Chouinard’s remind us why we are committed to sustainable, community-minded, ethical growth.  

Through the pages, Chouinard teaches us that global companies can have not just a net-zero impact on the climate, but even net-positive by investing in regenerative practices. He doesn’t make the case that it will be an easy shift for our society to move toward environmentally responsible practices, but he does say it’s possible: he would know, he’s achieved it. 

We truly enjoyed our discussion around this book on a cozy winter night in the cafe. Having conversation together sparks inspiration… and there’s no telling where it may lead. 

From the book: “The problem is a failure of the imagination. Uncurious people do not lead examined lives; they cannot see causes that lie deeper than the surface. They often believe in blind faith, and the most frightening thing about blind faith is that it in turn leads to an inability, even an unwillingness, to accept facts.” 

Our next read for our bookclub meeting the first Monday of May will be by José Andrés, titled: Change the Recipe. Join in!