Keep up with all the important outdoor news by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines:

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• Trade show talk: Nora Stowell of OIA wrote an op-ed this week about why we need Outdoor Retailer to succeed. Meanwhile, our podcast partner, Kristin Carpenter of Channel Mastery, interviewed Sutton Bacon and Darren Bush about The Big Gear Show.

• Equal pay: In the ski world, women athletes have not historically been paid the same as their male counterparts. But the Freeride World Tour is setting a new standard. [Teton Gravity Research]

• Pure greed: Luis Benitez shared this article about Ecuador selling off 1/3 of its rainforest to Chinese oil companies on Facebook with the comment “This will not stand.” We sure hope it doesn’t. [Business Insider]

• NEPA under fire: The Trump administration released plans recently to alter the core functioning of the National Environmental Policy Act. Under a new law, agencies would no longer be compelled to account for climate change when generating environmental impact statements.

• Close call: A 30-year-old former outdoor industry professional trapped in a remote corner of the Alaskan wilderness was rescued by State Troopers after spending 23 days in below-zero temperatures. He survived on beans and peanut butter in a makeshift shelter built from scrap wood. [RFDTV]

• Farewell A16: Former employee, Kenji Haroutunian, posted a few pictures of the closing party at A16 last week.

• Osprey president asks for action: In a letter released this week, Osprey President, Layne Rigney, urges the outdoor industry to unite our voices and encourage Senator Gardner to co-sponsor the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act to protect 400,000 acres of public land in Colorado. At last year’s Snow Show. Efforts to pass the CORE Act and protect these beloved public lands hit a crux in gaining co-sponsorship from Colorado’s Senator Cory Gardner. Read Rigney’s full letter here.

• Nixing PFC’s: As of spring 2020, Deuter will eliminate all perfluorocarbons (PFCs, harmful chemicals) from its packs. Jonathan Degenhardt, senior marketing manager in the USA says “Despite the rising tide of sustainability stories in the outdoor industry, the fact is that very few brands have taken steps to completely eliminate PFCs. Deuter is the first backpack brand of its size to do so.”

• Kris McDivitt Tompkins is coming to Denver: The American Alpine Club will host its annual benefit dinner on March 13, 2020 in Denver. Kris McDivitt Tomkins a true champion for the earth, will be the keynote speaker. Register here.

• Layoffs at Mountain Equipment Co-op: After an $11 million loss last year, MEC CEO Phil Arrata penned an open letter explaining changes to the co-op designed to “remain viable in a rapidly evolving retail market.”

• Fun winter read: Embrace winter with this look at the “14 Great Moments in the History of Cold.” [Adventure Journal]

Here’s why we're jealous of Newfoundland right now. (Wait till the end!)

• Crescent Moon Snowshoes acquired: Founder Jake Thamm will remain during the transition to Dunn-Rite, a water-sports based manufacturer based in Indiana. “Change is necessary for growth, but finding the right fit isn’t always easy,” says Thamm in a statement. “I’m confident we’ve found the right team with Dunn-Rite and know they will continue the legacy that Crescent Moon has built.”

• New senior vice president of global sales for PrimaLoft: Chris Humphris gets promoted.

• Slackline acquisition: In-Sport Fashions buys the slackline company.

• Swiftwick socks taps Purple Orange: The Tennessee-based performance sock company hires Jackson Hole’s Purple Orange Brand Communications to handle it’s public relations efforts.