Our 1% for the Planet Commitment

My favorite smell is the one released when the sun warms the ponderosa pines, the air thick smell of pine needles and bark. That smell is not a small part of why we chose to move to the Black Hills over 8 years ago, and why we are putting down deep roots here. At Don't Panic, we're not just wilderness medicine and emergency response instructors; we're a part of this landscape. That's why we're so proud to announce our commitment to 1% for the Planet.

Why 1% for the Planet?

We asked ourselves, "How can we use our business to make a real difference?" We wanted to do more than just teach wilderness first aid and first responder courses under the pines; we wanted to contribute to the health of the place we call home. Yvon Chouinard - the founder of Patagonia - wrote a wonderful book called Let My People Go Surfing.’ In it Chouinard writes, “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” He challenges business owners to look beyond profits, prompting us to integrate a deeper sense of environmental responsibility into the core of Don't Panic to create a purpose-driven business.

Our Plan: Local, Focused, and Collaborative:

We're committed to the sustainable use of the Black Hills' natural resources. We believe public access and stewardship go hand in hand. And we need your help! We'll be reaching out to you, our community, to help us select local non-profits that are actively working to protect the Black Hills. We want to focus on organizations that are making a real impact right here, where we live and work.

Small Drops, Big Ocean:

We believe everyone can make a difference. Even small actions add up. A few dollars, choosing Leave No Trace, volunteering for a local project—it all matters. As Ryunosuke Satoro said, "Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”