Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/417540
THE ECO-ALTRUIST WESTON BOYLES Few 20-somethings found and direct their own international nonprofi t. Fewer still receive a Congressional Medal of Recognition from the Chilean Senate. Weston Boyles has done both. In 2012, at 25, he founded Rios to Rivers, a collective of educators, artists, fi lmmakers, writers, coaches, philanthropists, energy experts, environmentalists, and humanitarians dedicated to river conservation. The organization unites middle- and high school-aged students from Patagonia, Chile, and Colorado through kayaking expeditions on Chile's Río Baker and the US's Colorado River. Chilean students see for the fi rst time a mega- dam and the resultant impact on the river. US students experience the majesty of an undeveloped river in a pristine wilderness. Both groups learn about the ecological impact of dams, explore viable renewable energy sources, and take part in cultural exchanges. Boyles, an Aspen-bred fi lmmaker by trade, plans to make a fi lm about the exchange, focusing on educating the youth and building an international advocacy group of students, local business leaders, teachers, and conservationists. Why not pursue a project closer to home? I fell in love with Patagonia when I was young, and it feels like home now. You can have a huge impact with far less money there. What do you see yourself doing in fi ve to 10 years? I've been focusing on fi lmmaking, but I hope [that we can continue to host] exchanges with Rios to Rivers every couple of years. How do you defi ne style? Style is a willingness to be fl exible— that and humility and a respect for others and the natural world. With all the nonprofi ts in the Roaring Fork Valley, how do you set yourself apart? We're working with kids whose parents make a few thousand dollars a year. And this is the fi rst generation [in Chile] where the kids have been able to practice a fi rst- world sport. I think that resonates with people in Aspen.