WHY?
I believe that the economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment and all economic activity should be subservient to planetary health. I have been a global entrepreneur with a lifelong love of international business and worldwide adventure. I’ve held C-Suite positions with The Coca-Cola Company and Cirque du Soleil – and I’ve created, advised, and invested in all kinds of start-ups and ventures.
But I’m to blame for my part of the climate crisis but I’m not guilty. I have lived a very privileged white man’s carbon-polluting Boomer life. I was born in Chicago in 1963 and moved to Toronto Canada in 1968 with my younger brother when my parents started McDonald’s restaurants and expanded it throughout Canada and Russia.
I worked for The Coca-Cola Company from 1985 to 2000 and helped to build our business in the Soviet Union and beyond. I have flown over 4,000,000 miles with 30 airlines. I was part owner of Cirque du Soleil in Russia and flew back and forth from London to Moscow and London to Montreal hundreds of times. I have flown on almost every type of commercial aircraft ever made from the 1960s until today. I
have lived in 10 countries and worked and traveled to another 95. I have moved homes 23 times. I live on a diesel polluting boat in the River Thames in London. I have eaten thousands of Big Macs. That is a lot of cows. I have discarded too many single use plastic bottles to remember. I’m a planet destroying, fossil fuel dinosaur. But I am going to do something about it.
WHAT?
I have decided to reverse my lifetime carbon footprint going back to 1963 and I am committed to ensure I create a carbon neutral lifestyle for the rest of my life.
HOW?
2023
On January 3, 2023 I will set out on a carbon zero epic six month journey walking up to 4000 km from London to Istanbul joined throughout by a unique community of passionate people wanting to reverse their personal carbon footprint. This awareness and fundraising effort will focus on supporting local city projects that accelerate carbon removal efforts in energy, transport, industry, agriculture, oceans and buildings.
My part of the “Walk It Back” campaign will journey up to 7 million steps through 14 countries, walking 25 km per day with a total of 153 “daily” guest walkers intended to take thousands of tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere which will also include my lifetime carbon footprint from 1963 .
