Climate advocate, volleyball pro, and Fair Harbor collaborator Jeremy Casebeer explains how his early experiences in the Channel Islands continue to inspire his sustainability work today.

Some of the most meaningful lessons in life don’t require a word.

When Jeremy Casebeer was a kid, his father, Chris, was always on the hunt for a swim. “Every chance my dad got, any body of water, he wanted to jump in,” recalls the distinguished Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) player. So when they’d venture to Laguna to visit his grandparents and get stuck in traffic, Chris would pull over to the side of the road, pop open the trunk, grab the boogie boards, and head to the ocean. Regardless of the location or if they packed towels or swim trunks, the elder Casebeer would always try to find reasons to dive in—even for just a few minutes. “It was always worth it to him,” Jeremy recalls with a smile. “My dad always wanted to embrace the moment and soak it all up.”

Jeremy’s father, who passed away in 2017, expressed his enthusiasm for the outdoors by example. And today, between training and traveling for tournaments around the world, Jeremy does the same. As a Climate Responsible Athlete and a board member of Players for the Planet, Jeremy aligns his career with his environmental values. He juggles his busy work schedule and commitments with Parley for the Oceans, the Forest Stewardship Council and “Our Impact,” his podcast that focuses on finding solutions to social and environmental issues. He also makes time to collaborate with brands he believes in, like Fair Harbor. Our new Casebeer Ozone Short design honors the topography of an important place in Jeremy’s sustainability journey

Though visiting the Channel Islands as a teenager ignited Jeremy’s passion for sustainability. Journeying there with his high school environmental science class, working at a research station, and exploring the eight island archipelago off the coast of southern California, he began to truly understand the human impact on the environment. “My teacher really brought sustainability to life in the classroom, but that trip was so visceral for me,” he recalls. “It was the first time I’d seen a pristine ecosystem without development, and it was my first introduction to learning about climate change firsthand.”

Jeremy returned to this formative place for his recent video shoot for Fair Harbor. He gathered a small group of new and old friends, a 50-foot sailboat, a video camera, a lively 12-year old co-captain, and a golden retriever named Duke. Jeremy and his crew sailed out to Big Geiger Cove on Catalina Island, camped for the night, and enjoyed hiking, swimming, and exploring between epic meals. Jeremy wore the Casebeer Ozone shorts he designed with Fair Harbor and some of his favorite FH pieces as his buddy Ricky shot sailboat footage from his nearby motorboat. “It was a fun two-day trip with amazing people–and we had a great time shooting some cool videos,” he says. “Everything worked out so well.” 

This time, Jeremy couldn’t take his five-and-a-half-year-old son, Joaquim, along for the brief and intensely active trip. But he will someday. Until then, the mindful father continues the tradition of instilling his love and respect for nature by modeling good behavior. “If we see trash on a hike or at the beach, we pick it up, and I explain why single-use plastic is a waste because it’s used once and lasts for hundreds or thousands of years,” Jeremy says. He also makes sure his son experiences plenty of outdoor exploits–camping, hiking, snowboarding in Big Bear, and catching waves at the beach in Rio, where the family spends half the year. “I want Quim to be responsible but fun and adventurous too,” he says. “And to definitely goof off a little bit.”