The journey that became a movement.
In 1971, John Francis witnessed an oil spill in San Francisco Bay. He helped with the cleanup, then sought a deeper personal response. He stopped using motorized transportation and began walking.
A decision to spend a day in silence grew into seventeen years. Walking and listening changed his understanding of the environment: care for the planet includes how we treat other people and ourselves.
During his walking years, John earned undergraduate and graduate degrees, including a PhD in Land Resources at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He and three friends founded Planetwalk in 1982.
After ending his silence in 1990, John helped develop oil-spill regulations with the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1991, he was appointed a United Nations Environment Programme goodwill ambassador to grassroots communities.
His journeys have included walks in the United States, the Caribbean, South America, China, and Africa. His work brings environmental education together with human rights, social justice, listening, and kindness.
“How we treat each other is how we treat the environment.”Dr. John Francis
John shares this message through teaching, public speaking, books, art, and Planetwalk. His story is also the subject of the documentary Planetwalker, and of a feature film in development.
