Support the Economy! Buy Outdoor Stuff
From the Seattle Times:
Q: Looking over the roster of all the "outdoors"-oriented companies around Seattle, it's clear that our local hobbies have helped boost the local economy, at least during the outdoor-industry boom. Is that still the case, or has the business tailed off as the trail-happy boomer generation fades out?
A: Good question. It's easy to assume that the multibillion-dollar outdoor industry, fueled by the lifestyle choices of Generation Gore-Tex from the '60s through the '90s, might be on the wane as baby boomers begrudgingly lose the last of their cartilage in knee joints pounded by decades of hiking, climbing and skiing.
In fact, national figures show participation in some outdoor activities leveling off or declining in recent years. But the economic boost from "low-impact" recreation (defined as bicycling, camping, fishing, hunting, paddling, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, climbing and wildlife-watching) is still surprisingly strong, especially here, according to a study released this week by the advocacy group Washington Trails Association.
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