Science & a Movie: Planetwalker

Dr. John Francis, known as “Planetwalker,” is an environmental activist and author who walked across the United States and took a 17-year vow of silence to raise awareness about environmental issues and the interconnectedness of nature and humanity.

Today, Dr. Francis is visiting associate professor at the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, at University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he is teaching both graduated and undergraduate seminars in environmental studies.

He is also the first education fellow at the National Geographic Society where he has published two books, Planetwalker: 17 Years of Silence, 22 Years of Walking, and The Ragged Edge of Silence: Finding Peace in a Noisy World. They are partners in developing the Planetlines curriculum based on John’s walking experience that lasted over two decades.