Dr. JOHN FRANCIS on What Grows In Silence /202

Photo of John Francis

After bearing witness to the collision of two Standard Oil of California tankers in the San Francisco Bay which spilt nearly half a million gallon of crude oil,  Dr. John Francis stopped using motorized vehicles, a commitment that lasted 22 years. Soon after he made this promise, he found himself arguing amongst friends and family about whether or not this act was worthwhile, could one person really make a difference? He quips that as a gift to his community, he decided to take a vow of silence, which lasted for 17 years. In this episode of For The Wild, Dr. Francis shares how his journey came to be and the profound impact that silence and slowing down can have on us. In a world polluted by noise, how can we experiment with silence? What other forms of communication and Earthly rhythms arise when we do so? 

“You have to let go of the wanting to understand, you have to let go of wanting to possess the understanding and just be in that place.”

— Dr. John Francis / Episode 202

Dr. John Francis by Becky Hale

Dr. John Francis is a National Geographic Explorer, environmental educator, and a former United Nations Environment Program goodwill ambassador. He began his environmental work in 1971, when after witnessing an oil spill in San Francisco Bay he stopped using motorized vehicles and took a vow of silence lasting 22 and 17 years respectively. He earned three degrees including a doctorate in land resources, from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, during his walk across the US. He served as project manager for the United States Coast Guard Oil Pollution Act of 1990 Staff, and later walked the length of South America. Dr. Francis authored Planetwalker: 17-Years of Silence, 22-Years of Walking, and Ragged Edge of Silence: Finding Peace in a Noisy World. He is a Commissioner in West Cape May, New Jersey where he lives with his wife and two children. He is now running for the Democratic nomination for the US Congress in New Jersey District 2.

So many of us find fleeting admiration for a cause, or perhaps briefly entertain the possibility of personal change, but true commitment remains hard to come by. We offer this episode with Dr. Francis to explore what catalyzed his unwavering commitment and the profound impact of grappling with personal responsibility, as well as evergreen topics like Earth stewardship, the pleasure of listening and walking as pilgrimage and rite of passage.

♫ Music by Rajna Swaminathan, Cooper-Moore, and Carter Lou McElroy

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