Extraordinary Lengths: Walking Across America For Climate Change

Some people are prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to promote environmental alternatives, demonstrating just what is possible in a world that has long been reliant on fossil fuels.

I recently wrote of a Swiss family who are at the half way point of an epic round the world eco journey travelling only by foot, bicycle and wind power. During this journey they aim to cross seven seas and climb seven of the world’s highest mountains.

Now, a Swiss doctor is undertaking an adventure of similar proportions. Matrin Vosseler, in a bid to raise awareness on climate change has walked across much of Europe and the Middle East, sailed a solar powered boat across the Atlantic, and is now walking across the United States from West to East.

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Walking with the emblem of the Sun on his back, Vosseler hopes to spread the message on climate change to the 500 to 25,000 people he comes into contact with each day:

“Every driver sees me. I wave to many of them and many wave back. They think ‘what kind of person would walk through the United States with a sun on his pack?’. And they eventually connect when they see a report in the newspaper or on television about me. So it’s a tremendous opportunity to spread the message.”

Dr Vosseler is currently somewhere along highway 40, with only a couple of thousand kilometres to walk before he reaches Boston where he plans to hitch a ride with a sailboat back to Europe.

You can follow Martin Vosseler’s progress across America using Google Maps, or find out more about his journey on his personal site (German Only).

Source: SwissInfo

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