After reaching adulthood, Yvon served in Korea as a USFK (United States Forces Korea) soldier. Some peculiar behavior of Korean people caught his attention. Even in the biting winter cold in a land barren after the war, despite the scarcity of firewood, Koreans continued to fertilize the rice fields.

They explained, “This is to fertilize the land so it can be used for generations to come.”

Such is the attitude of Koreans toward life: considering future generations even in the midst of extreme poverty. Yvon Chouinard was very impressed by the Koreans he met. This lesson of sustainabilityhe learned from the manure became the foundation of Patagonia’s philosophy.