the Adventure Lifestyle magazine

JULIA BUTTERFLY HILL ' .. THIRD ANNIVERSARY ISSUE The best words fa ll short of describing blue. I found the first edition while I was living in Vail and my world opened up. Before then I had no idea such a wonderful world existed. My life has changed in the best ways since first discovering blue. The anniversary issue (June/July 2000) is filled with soul and life and celebration of ind ividual life, like mine. I fina lly feel like I can live at the speed I'm thinking, at least while I'm still floating on mechanica l and adrenalin high. And I have blue to thank for helping me find the drive. Brian Wood Boulder, CO I've been a "blue water man" since we had to build our own equipment and glue together dive suits. Your magazine keeps me aware of contemporary adventure and thought. In reading "Globetrotter Dogma" (June/July 2000), which was well written, entertaining and mostly informative, I came across an apparent moral inconsistency: Canon 7: "don't lie, don't steal" this rule apparently advocates moral conduct. Canon 4 advocates sneaking into "the fancy hotel across town" and using its services. Canon 15 advocates obtaining fake identity documents and using them to get into places one would otherwise have to pay for, which, in most jurisdictions, is a criminal act. Have our current morals changed to exempt such activities from the classification of lying or stea ling7 I know that in my social structure, such activities would constitute a wrong, however, I am interested in current thought. If you have received or do receive other communications on this matter, I would appreciate knowing the "for and against" statistics. Lou Litwin Caliente, CA blue magazine makes me CRY. I found an old issue on sale for pennies at a newsstand. At that point I'd never left this country. I was stuck here in New York with a dead-end job and not a whole lot of cash. Since then, I've been to Egypt and Israel, and I'm leaving for Central America soon. I picked up the most recent issue (June/July 2000) at my favorite independent bookseller and am once again over- whelmed at the size of the world and all the places I want to go. Reading blue makes me antsy for more adventure. Now I'm excited that I'm actually a part of it. Dori Mondon Brooklyn, NY THOUGHTS ON LIFESTYLE A short while ago I picked up a copy of blue. At a glance I was impressed with the look of the magazine: the cover, the layout of text and photography. Instantly this magazine signifies itself as essentially distinct from other travel or action sports magazines. What really got me was the dynamic outlook blue applies to the activities that some of us find so necessary and important in our lives, like snowboarding, surfing and mountain biking. I wanted to share a little bit of punk insight that surges through me, tempered now with the clear visions of my horizon where I will sti ll be hiking and rid ing until my last days. Justin Ridgeway Toronto, ON, Canada blue combines outstanding layout, good photography and thought-provoking writing to create-in my opinion-the top adventure magazine on the racks today. Your philosophy reminds me a lot of the envi- ronment here at the International Mountain Bicycling Association (lM BA). IMBA is a non-profit orga li- ization dedicated to preserving tra ils for mountain biking in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Everyone makes a point of having some sort of adventure during the day- whether it be a bike commute through Boulder traffic to get to work or racing the 24 Hours of Moab solo at singlespeed. Thanks again for the great publication. Dan Vardamis Boulder, CO Since when did blue become a political forum7 I am disgusted by the statement "She is my hero" regarding Julia Butterfly Hill by founder Amy Schrier ("Speaking for the Trees," April/May 2000). As a physician, athlete and community activist I support the oppOSition for deforestation, but I do not respect a person that sits up a tree for two years and eight days. I believe she could have used her time much more constructively and efficiently. And to say she "risked her life"? I see much more sacrifice for humanity "in the trenches" of day-to-day life of others than a woman that sits up in a tree with a cell phone and full support crew. If anyone should pose for the cover it is Robert Young Pelton for the true life-risking travel to rebel-held Chechnya to elucidate the destruction occurri ng beyond closed borders. Political debate is not the reason I subscribe to blue, I enjoy the stories of esoteric extreme adventurers, the gear guide and the spectacular photographs of beautiful terrain and big waves. Every edition of blue is on my shelf with many of the stories reread. blue allows me to dream of being there. My plea is to return to being a pure adventure magazine. Sonja Stilp Chicago, IL Reading the April/May 2000 issue, my first encounter with blue, I was really impressed with the Julia Butterfly Hill interview, as well as your intro letter about heroes. Let me add a hearty "amen." Jason Greenwald via email Could someone start a campaign against the biggest environmental threat of all: mag- azines who claim to be about protecting the environment, but have two or more advertisements for SUVs in them? Does blue, which had two SUV ads in the April/May 2000 issue, represent the wing of the environmental movement known as the Sahara Club7 The Sahara Club likes to be outdoors, but doesn't care about how much ener- gy they waste or how much wildlife they trample on. If blue doesn't see anything wrong with peddling SUVs, fie on them. If they don't think to screen advertisers, then they are too friendly with anti-enviros and half a fie on them. It was poor judgment for enviro-friendly orgs to hook up with tilem in any case ... [The SUV companies are] laughing all the way to the bank under a thick cloud of smoke. They got an ad in a mag that purported to be e-friendly .. Greg M Johnson Poughkeepsie, NY At New Leaf Paper, we run into critics who would rather pick us apart than go to the big paper mills who use chlorine bleaching for their virgin fiber papers. Anyone or any company who makes a stand for something they, believe in becomes a target to some people. I do think SUVs are useless and awful and wasteful, but I also think blue brings a great message to people even if it accepts dollars from a car manufacturer. It's money, and, sadly enough, money is needed to produce magazines. "Progress, not perfection." Ann Worthington San Francisco, CA To Whom it May Concern: I am part of the National Breastfeeding MediaWatch, We need your help in promoting breastfeeding as the way to feed babies. t.VO h..e " 0(,"< J oe .-s. L.()I'\ I saw o...L oy,.., ff /{,-17 (show/advertisement/bide) of ''D/Clt'' r Ap,.:,///'I((l'10D JSS/ll on f:j.2./():) (date) ~Thank you for promoting breastfeeding o I was concerned that you showed formula feeding o I felt that breastfeeding was portrayed negatively o I noticed misinformation/misconceptions about breastfeeding o Please have the pregnant character choose to breastfeed Comments: &JU 0.. .&~ oel.. " PLEASE SEND LETTERS, COMMENTS AND IDEAS TO blue. BY EMAIL: LETTERS_TO_THE_EDITOR@BLUEMAGAZINE.COM BY POST: 611 BROADWAY, SUITE 405, NEW YORK, NY, 1001 2, USA ATTENTION: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/AMY SCHRIER LETTERS MAY 8E EDITED FOR SPACE ANO CLAR!I~ T-'. ENVELOPE ART: RUBY JEnS Y ______________ ..-J

• Cover