John Francis walking with children on a country road

KINDNESS. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. PEACE & COOPERATION.

Fostering kindness
& environmental
stewardship

“How we treat each other is how we treat the environment.”
Dr. John Francis · Founder of Planetwalk

Join a global community sharing walks, artwork, observations, and acts of kindness. Your planetwalk belongs here.

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OUR MISSION ↓

WALKING WITH PURPOSEHUMAN KINDNESSENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONPEACE & COOPERATION

OUR MISSION / SINCE 1982

A global community
of Planetwalkers.

Planetwalk brings people together through walking and learning, encouraging responsibility for the environment and care for one another. Our vision is a world shaped by peace and cooperation.

Founded by Dr. John Francis and three friends in 1982, Planetwalk connects young people, scientists, educators, and communities across cultures and borders. Together, we work toward a healthy planet and a more compassionate world.

Our mission and history

John Francis walking with a companion in Africa

PLANETWALK AFRICA

Walking for kindness.
Walking for our future.

From Cape Town to Cairo, John’s 6,000-mile journey brings together kindness, climate science, and learning from the communities along the way. He walks for children and future generations, putting hope into action.

Join us as we learn, listen, and care for the environment together. Follow the journey and its connection with GLOBE’s environmental science and education.

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KINDNESS, EDUCATION & COOPERATION

Learning together.
Caring for our planet.

Science, education, and human connection.
Each is part of the environment.

01 / THE NEXT GENERATION

Planetwalk Clubs

A global network in development for children and youth to practice kindness, learn environmental science, and help shape a future that supports all life.

Explore the Clubs vision 02 / THE WALKING CLASSROOM

Planetlines & science

Walking as a way to observe, learn, and connect. Learn how Planetlines connects walking, environmental observation, and communication between communities.

Discover the learning approach 03 / YOUR PART OF THE STORY

Our shared journal

Share your own planetwalk. Through observations, artwork, and acts of kindness, we can learn from one another and strengthen our global community.

Join the community journal

MEET DR. JOHN FRANCIS

Seventeen years of silence.
A lifetime of listening.

After witnessing an oil spill in San Francisco Bay in 1971, John changed how he moved through the world. Walking and a long vow of silence became a journey of listening, learning, and environmental responsibility.

His work as an educator, author, and former United Nations Environment Programme goodwill ambassador continues to connect care for people with care for the planet.

Read John’s story