If you're like us, you have climbed out of last week's fog and are hungry for inspiration, for ways to engage right now that will make a difference. My co-worker Amanda and I found both this week through a visit from the Top to Top crew, consisting of Dario and Sabine Schworer and their amazing family of 5 children.
The Schworers are on a mission to inspire and galvanize youth leaders around the world to connect with natural elements in our neighborhoods, and take concrete actions to battle the climate crisis.
What struck me from their presentation:
1. Dario is a climatologist and mountain guide, his "office" is the Matterhorn. So he and his family have been on a tour of the tallest peaks around the world to witness and investigate the impacts of climate change at high elevations with his whole family (even the baby!)
2. On this journey, the family either sails, bikes, skis or hikes -- no fossil fuels burned during the mission. Their sailboat, Pachamama (“Mother Earth” in Inca), is likely the world's most advanced example of cutting edge solar and wind-powered sailboat design.
3. Throughout their mission, they meet with schoolchildren, share stories of their travels and what they're witnessing...and cultivate leadership through projects like tree planting in local neighborhoods and exploration of clean energy ingenuity.
4. A few years from now, the Schworers will tap out and the missions will be taken over by youth leaders who step in to the next phase of the project.
5. Their kids have a box of toys on the boat -- when they get a new toy, they have to pick something to let go...space constraints being very real on a sailboat. And this simple yet meaningful lifestyle is one they all embrace.
6. They became great friends with a seal they named Hans in the Galapagos. I now want a seal friend named Hans.
In all seriousness, our biggest take home from this visit from the Top to Top crew: if this hardy team of Swiss voyagers and volunteers from around the globe can commit themselves to inspiring hope and building youth leaders for a brighter future, we can certainly do our part in Massachusetts to push for cutting edge climate solutions.
