Elizabeth Perry 💚🐢🐘🦒🦦🐳

Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, has made the planet itself the sole beneficiary and effective "shareholder" of his company. In an extraordinary move that redefined corporate ownership, Chouinard transferred full control of the $3 billion outdoor apparel brand away from his family. He placed 100% of the company into a carefully designed structure consisting of a trust and a nonprofit organization, both dedicated to combating the climate crisis and protecting the natural world. Under this new arrangement, the Chouinard family gave up any claim to personal profits. Instead, all earnings not reinvested in growing the business—roughly $100 million each year—now flow directly to environmental causes, funding the preservation of wild lands, conservation efforts, and initiatives to fight climate change. In essence, Patagonia now exists to serve Earth as its only true shareholder, placing planetary survival above the accumulation of private wealth. The model has already delivered significant results. As of 2025, the company had channeled an additional $180 million into nature-protection projects. The structure relies on two key entities: the Patagonia Purpose Trust, which safeguards the company’s original mission and values, and the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit that directs the profits toward high-impact environmental work. Rather than selling the business to the highest bidder or taking it public, Chouinard chose this radical path—creating what many see as a groundbreaking template for purpose-driven capitalism. Patagonia has shown that a for-profit company can become a powerful force for ecological restoration while remaining financially successful. [Chouinard, Y. (2022). Patagonia's Next Chapter: Earth is Now Our Only Shareholder. Patagonia Works]

Weekend update Halifax Regional Police responded to 671 calls for service over the weekend. Some notable incidents are as follows: Police investigate scam On January 23 at approximately 5:50 p.m., officers responded to a report of a scam where the victim received a call from someone representing themselves as being from the Canada Border Services Agency. The caller advised the victim that their spouse had been arrested and would be deported unless they pay their bail. The caller then gave instructions to the victim on how to withdraw the money and how it would be collected. The scammer appeared to have taken control of the victim’s phone in such a way that they knew exactly where they were at all times and kept them on the line during the entire process. Halifax Regional Police remind people not to be pressured to act immediately. Scammers try to create a sense of urgency so you will take immediate action and not have time to think the situation through or consult someone else. What to do if you receive this scam phone call: -Hang up immediately. Do not provide any personal or banking information or any form of payment. -Call police at 902-490-5020 if you have lost money or your identity has been compromised as a result of a fraud. You can report a scam where you haven’t been a victim to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Winter Parking Ban Last night, police issued 507 winter parking ban tickets. Eleven vehicles were seized under the Motor Vehicle Act for impeding snow removal and/or winter maintenance. The overnight winter parking ban will continue to be enforced Tuesday, January 27 (in both Zone 1 – Central and Zone 2 – Non-Central), from 1 to 6 a.m. Complying with the parking ban allows for safe and more efficient snow removal. The fine for not complying with the winter parking ban in Nova Scotia is $86.60. -30-