The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) will present its 2023 Environmental Hero award to Patagonia, Inc.

EDC is honoring Ventura-based Patagonia for its longstanding commitment to responsible business and action to protect nature and biodiversity, support thriving communities and fight the climate crisis.

The EDC is one of the nation’s longest-running nonprofit law firms working to protect California’s coast and the earth’s climate.

Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert will accept the award at EDC’s annual fundraising event, Green & Blue: A Coastal Celebration, June 11 at Stow House in Goleta.

The award presentation will be followed by a conversation between Ryan and Leah Stokes, UCSB professor of political science, and a leading expert in energy, climate, and environmental politics.

“If we are going to save our ‘Home Planet’ as Patagonia calls it, we are all going to have to work together to make change — as individuals, as conservation organizations, and as businesses,” said Alex Katz, EDC executive director.

“Patagonia has pushed boundaries to redefine how a business can operate,” he said. “Rather than just extracting value from nature and transforming it into wealth, Patagonia is using the wealth it creates to protect the source.”

“For the past 50 years, Patagonia has modeled a different version of a for-profit business,” said Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia. “We have a lot to be proud of, but we can’t get sentimental while also facing the threats of the climate and ecological crisis.

“As we continue this experiment of running a responsible company, we’re committed to using every tool we have available to scale our impact on behalf of protecting the natural world including supporting local grassroots organizations like the Environmental Defense Center.”

In 1985, Patagonia’s founder Yvon Chouinard created 1% for the Planet, and the company has donated 1% of its revenue every year since, donating more than $140 million to grassroots environmental nonprofits like EDC.

Patagonia has also become directly involved in issues facing the local environment and communities, including joining EDC and a coalition of environmental and recreation groups in a lawsuit challenging a commercial logging project in Los Padres National Forest that would destroy cultural and natural resources, habitat for endangered wildlife, and some of our communities’ treasured recreational areas.

EDC’s Green & Blue: A Coastal Celebration, which takes place 2-5:30 p.m., brings togethe 500 guests from across the tri-county region to raise funds for the organization to continue its work protecting the region’s clean air and water, open space and agricultural lands, marine resources and wildlife, and the climate for generations.

The event will feature silent and live auctions, food and beverages, and a short program honoring this year’s Environmental Hero.

For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit https://www.environmentaldefensecenter.org/gb/.

Learn more about EDC at www.EnvironmentalDefenseCenter.org.