Listen to “A Story of My Own” Dirtbag Diaries Podcast Episode

For most of his adult life, Cam Fenton has fought against climate change–and particularly to protect the Arctic.

“The funny thing was, for most of that time, I couldn’t tell you why,” says Cam. “Sure, I could recite, and often wrote, the talking points: to stop sea level rise, stand with small island nations and Indigenous peoples, keep fossil fuels in the ground and save the Arctic. But anytime I heard someone tell a deeply personal story, I felt embarrassed that I didn’t have a story of my own.”

So, this past summer Cam jumped at the chance to join a friend on a trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He hoped to return changed–with his own story, with revelations about climate change and with renewed purpose. And Cam did walk away from the Arctic with an adventure and a revelation–just a very different one than he expected.

You can find more of Cam’s writing at overstoker.com.

Visit dirtbagdiaries.com for links to past episodes, music credits and to pledge your support. You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher and DoggCatcher, or connect with the Dirtbag Diaries community on Facebook. The Dirtbag Diaries is a Duct Tape Then Beer production.