I am walking 2,000 miles for the planet

I have some very exciting news. While at the Powershift conference in Pittsburgh, PA this past October, I signed up to march a section of the Great March for Climate Action, or the Climate March. The march begins in California in March of 2014, and plans to arrive in Washington D.C. in the following November.

Originally, I planned to only walk from Pittsburgh, PA to D.C. Since I signed up, plans have changed. Now, I am starting in Taos, New Mexico immediately following the end of my spring semester of college. That means I will be walking about 2,000 miles over the course of six months across the country to raise awareness for the global climate crisis and the urgent need for action.

I can’t tell you how excited I am. I will be following in the footsteps of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., women’s rights activists, and nuclear disarmament activists. Yet, my fellow marchers and I will be carving out a path very separate from them. We are fighting a different fight from what our predecessors did, and our work to save the planet might prove to be the most important movement in all of history. We only have one Earth; we can’t afford to ruin it.

I am thrilled to be walking with so many inspiring and amazing people, with ages ranging from 6 to 82 and origins from all over America, as well as El Salvador, Canada, Belize, and Ecuador.

 

Picture courtesy of: http://yellowmaps.com/map/united-states-printable-map-468.htm 

Fundraising

However, I can’t simply join this cause for free. Each marcher is expected to cover his or her own expenses through fundraising, which equates to about $20 for each day we march. I have to raise about $3,800 for my section of the march, as well as the cost for my one-way plane ticket to New Mexico, and a little bit of extra to have on hand for spending/emergencies. Overall, my goal is to raise $4,500.

I need your help to make my dream to stand up for the world we love to come true. I would be eternally grateful if you could contribute to my fundraising in some way, no matter how big or small.

Ways to help:

•  You can donate money directly and anonymously to my funds on my CrowdRise site, which you can find here: http://www.crowdrise.com/FaithMeckley
• Become a silver or gold sponsor: A silver sponsor donates 50 cents for each day I march, and a gold sponsor donates $1 for every day I march. So, for 162 days, that's either $81 or $162. This is a great option for both individuals and businesses/organizations. Please email me if you're interested.
• Purchase merchandise: I am in the process of developing t-shirts, and I am ordering rubber bracelets that say "The Great March for Climate Action," which I will be selling for $2. Please email me if you're interested. 
• Nature's Vision catalog orders (environmentally friendly fundraising) Please email me if you're interested.
• Donate supplies I will need for my trip. Please email me if you're interested, and I will let you know what I need. 
• Commit yourself to living a more sustainable life (browse through Viridorari to find out how!)

I will be sending out postcards from each city we travel through (See the travel route and timeline here). If you’re interested in receiving postcards from me, send me an email with your address. A donation of $15 to cover the cost of your cards and postage would be greatly appreciated! Please specify that your donation is for post cards, and if you are donating additional funds, please keep your post card money separate.

If you want to receive regular updates about the progress of my fundraising, donation opportunities, and the march in general, please send me an email stating that and I will add you to my mailing list.

Why Donate? What will the march accomplish?

The issue of the environment is one that affects every single living thing on Earth, including us. An overwhelming majority of climate scientists now agree that global warming/climate change is happening, and human activity is contributing. If over 90% of doctors told you that you were sick, would you seek treatment?

Not only is The Great March for Climate Action raising awareness for our imperiled planet, it is also demanding action, as its name suggests. We want our governments to start doing more to protect the environment and hold big industries accountable for their pollution. We want our governments to start focusing on renewable energy, instead of expanding the fossil fuel industries. And we also want individual people, like you, to commit to living a more sustainable life, because everyone is contributing to climate change in our own ways. As we walk across the country we will be stopping in cities along the way to speak about our cause. Even when we’re in between cities, we’ll be drawing attention because the truth of the matter is: people don’t just walk across the United States for nothing. It’s no small undertaking.

Past great movements such as Indian Independence, Women’s Rights, and Civil Rights used marches like this one to make their movements successful.

When you donate to my marching funds, not only are you standing by me, you’re standing by the environment and showing that you want change too. While this cause may be near and dear to many of you, not everyone can afford to take the time off to be a part of the march, even for a small section. You have jobs and families and commitments. Donating is a way for you to be a part of the march, even if you can’t walk in it. The Climate March has a goal of recruiting at least 1,000 marchers. When you donate, you are showing that there are more than just 1,000 people behind this movement.    

To learn more about the Climate March, explore the official website here: www.climatemarch.org. This is also the place to go if you’re considering signing up to participate yourself. See the march’s promotional video here.

Blogging

I am not sure how often we will have internet access during our trip, but as of now I plan on posting about my experiences during the march here on Viridorari. At the very least, I will journal throughout the trip and then post my entries here on the blog when I get home. Also, during the march, keep an eye out on the news for reports about us.

I look forward to working with and hearing from all of you as I prepare for this amazing journey. Keep checking back here on Viridorari for updates, and follow me on Twitter @Viridorari. Email me with any questions, requests, and comments at viridorari@yahoo.com. As always, feel free to comment on my blog posts.

I would like to extend a special thank you to my parents for supporting me in everything I do, even when it’s something scary like risking arrest at a sit-in or walking across the country. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you, Mom and Dad.