Adventure, Advocacy, and Parenthood: Emily Harrington and Adrian Ballinger’s Climate Journey

Photos by Clayton Hermann

POW Alliance Members Emily Harrington, a professional rock climber and mountaineer, and Adrian Ballinger, a professional mountaineer and skier have an impressive resume of first ascents and descents. Their expeditions have led them to the far corners of the world where they’ve had a front-row seat to the devastating impacts of climate change. Now, as parents, the stakes feel higher than ever. 

We caught up with both Emily and Adrian to chat about their journey as climate advocates and how it has evolved now as parents:

POW:  How did you get involved with POW?

Emily: I started doing “Hot Planet Cool Athlete” events through my sponsor, The North Face, in 2012. I moved to Tahoe shortly after that and was connected to Jeremy Jones and the rest of the Tahoe Skier crowd. I became an ambassador shortly after that!

Adrian: Shortly after I moved to Tahoe in 2008 I heard about Jeremy and other athletes doing assemblies at local schools to educate kids on climate change and how we can all get involved. As a mountain guide and athlete working and playing on glaciers around the world, I was seeing the impacts with every trip. So I reached out and got involved!

POW: What role can professional athletes play in activism? What role have you both played in this space? 

Emily: I think it’s important to share the love for the outdoors and the environment with our wider audiences. The more people who care, the more people will want to protect these places. As athletes we are not perfect, we all have our impacts and it’s crucial to share that aspect as well. Despite this imperfection, we can all be stewards, we can all have a voice and show that we care and be examples. Getting the conversation going is key. 

Adrian: I think we really have been “canaries in the coal mine” – we see the impacts of climate change dramatically in the places we climb, ski, and play. I think it’s important to share experiences from these places, and why it’s so important we address and combat climate change to protect the places and experiences we love. And as athletes, we have large platforms that can reach a lot of people who love the outdoors like we do. Since a large part of the climate fight will entail systemic change, it is essential we reach lots of people – pro athletes can help with that reach, and with voices our community trusts!

POW: How has becoming a parent changed your perspective on climate advocacy?

Emily: I feel a lot more urgency and responsibility for the future. It’s wild how your brain shifts from being very “me-centric” to feeling an intense drive and obligation to preserve the world for your offspring. Nothing feels like it’s about you anymore and that is somehow freeing and stressful at the same time. I want my son to grow up with the best experiences and relationships to the outdoors as possible. I have the power to contribute to that cause in a small way and I am going to do all I can to help. 

Adrian: Becoming a parent has just increased the importance (and the timeline) I give these issues. When you think about kids (our own or our friends’ or society’s in general) the timeline becomes long! I want snow, wilderness, and a stable climate for the long haul. Our work on these issues and solutions will be judged by our children decades from now.

POW: In your expeditions/trips have you noticed physical signs of climate change when returning to spots year over year?

Emily: Absolutely. We visit places over time that seem to just be falling apart now. Rockfall is more common and much more of a concern, glaciers recede at rapid rates, and wildfires plague climbing areas with smoke each year. It used to be something we didn’t have to think about. Now we have to plan according to account for these changes. 

Adrian: The places I spend a lot of time have changed dramatically over my 30 year career of climbing in the great mountain ranges of the world. Especially in the Andes and Alps, glacial recession has been incredibly apparent. But everywhere I climb and ski has suffered from less consistent weather patterns, more extreme weather, and shifting seasons. Wildfires have also increased dramatically, in the Western US and many other locations I play and work in.

POW: Where do you find hope in the climate movement? 

Emily: The conversation is happening. More people are talking and more people care. Humans are resourceful and adaptable when they want to be and when the need is there. I have a lot of hope for the climate movement because we don’t really have a choice and people are starting to realize this. Change is happening. 

Adrian: I see so much hope in the climate movement. We are already making dramatic changes within the industry (electric vehicles, battery technology, wind/solar/nuclear energy production). As climate solutions continue to improve people’s lives and become cost-effective, I believe we will continue to see rapid adoption and the effects of that uptake. 

POW: Any exciting expeditions coming up this year?

Emily: We just did a family trip to South Africa which was amazing and adventurous in its own way. We are excited to stick around California for the rest of the summer and into the fall. A Yosemite trip is on the books!

Adrian: I just finished up a unique expedition to the rarely visited North Side of Mt. Everest. We were the only team on that side of the mountain for our summit push. It was incredible. So for the rest of 2024, I am enjoying time with Aaro and Emily, time in the Alpenglow Expeditions office leading this fantastic team, and time in California in the incredible playground we have right out our back door – the Sierra, Yosemite, and Tahoe!

A huge thank you to Emily and Adrian for their dedication to POW’s mission over the years! Whether you’re just beginning your climate advocacy journey or ready to level up your Climate IQ, the Climate Advocate’s Guidebook is packed with all the tools, tips, and inspiration you need to become a powerful advocate—every day.