11000
Kilometers
It’s been a while since we published the last blogpost. Today a very important topic brings us back to you: Our Crowdfunding-campaign on EcoCrowd, which was launched in the beginning of this week.
We think it’s worth talking about our thoughts and reasoning behind the campaign, and about what you can expect from this. In the end of the day we are asking for money – your money – and that can an awkward situation to be in, for you and us equally. However, we want to be as sincere and open as possible with this, which is why we want to address this here.
If you’ve seen our campaign you might have wondered: “200.000 Euros?! Why would they need that much money?”, and if you’ve paid close attention you might add: “Just for the first year? This has to be some kind of scam!”
First of all: It’s definitely not a scam – we promise. This sum reflects roughly what we need in 2021 if we were to realise everything we’ve set out to do. Let me remind you what we want to achieve: We want to collect and make visible human experiences with changing Climates all throughout Europe, and focus on unseen places and unheard voices. For this we must plan exactly where we will be each day over a period of 15 months, and over a distance of roughly 12.000km.
Now if you will, try to imagine for a second the work that has to go into this. Seriously, try it. Do you feel that tingle of the nerves? Ever since we realised what our crazy idea really meant, we do too.
We not only have to take into account accommodation, sustenance, and emergencies (there’s the real risk we run into bears! BEARS! How do you prepare for that?!). Furthermore there is documentation (filming, photographing), doing workshops with partners, research, communication, and the small fact that we walk over 30 km a day while doing this. I hope you don’t misunderstand me here: With every little step closer we become more thrilled. We love doing all this, otherwise we would have never made it this far and kept our sanity.
If we want to reach our goals we need to be able to invest all of our time and attention into this adventure, which is why we want to – or rather need to – be able to support our team members financially. If we are not able to raise enough money to compensate our members for their hard work and dedication, they’d have to do this besides a full-time job – and that is just not possible in the long run. Why do we talk about this in such detail?
Because the employment of our team members would be the biggest matter of expense in our financial plan. Of course: Travel costs, accommodation, and sustenance are not insignificant, but employment would be the biggest factor by far. That is why we need 200.000 Euros for the first year alone. Naturally we are exploring all options for funding available to us: public funds, foundations, support from businesses – and of course Crowdfunding. The latter not only gives us the chance to raise the money we need, but to create a community while doing so – which is also why we went with EcoCrowd as a platform.
Now why would you care if we make it or not? Well, because we don’t do this project for ourselves. We do it because we are convinced that something like this has to happen sooner rather than later. We are convinced that we need the kind of storytelling based in human experiences and emotions in order to stand a real chance against Climate Change. Because only by identifying oneself with a problem does one develop the will to act on it.
The Climate Walk is our way of attempting this. It is our way of bringing people closer together around Europe by engaging with them on equal terms, by listening to their stories and caring about them. Imagine for a second what the Climate Walk could be. A quest for agency all around Europe. A movement of a growing community for the change we all know must happen. A never-before-seen act of environmental activism. And for this we need your support.
We do not only need your financial support, but we need your voice, your experiences and your companionship when we start this big collective adventure. For now the best way you can support us is through a financial contribution on EcoCrowd. So please consider supporting us, and when the time comes, consider walking with us. We want you to be with us on this journey.
We sincerely thank you and wish you wonderful holidays. May you find some peace and quiet after all the craziness of this past year. Stay safe, stay healthy, and don’t forget: Keep walking!
All the best from the Wanderers of Changing Worlds,
Alexandra, Anna, Eva, Julia, Martin, Martina, Timo, Gerald.
Gerald Hofbauer
