'Pissed off' and so Alan is walking to Canberra to tell our politicians

Alan Cuthbertson is so “pissed off” with Australia’s response to Climate Change he is walking to Canberra to make his point.

Alan Cuthbertson is "pissed off" and
so is taking (walking) his
disillusionment to Canberra in
 "Climate Change -Walk to Canberra".

The 62-year-old Lower Plenty man, along with three fellow walkers, will carry a petition with the intention of delivering it to Canberra’s politicians.

Disillusionment with the Federal, and State inaction on tackling the root causes of Climate Change drove Alan to do something and so it has become a 750km walk to Canberra.

The “Climate Change – Walk to Canberra” starts in Melbourne of the day of the People’s Climate March in Melbourne from where the march ends at the city’s Treasury Gardens.

That first day will be rather gentle covering about five kilometres to end about 4pm at Fairfield and then in the evening at 7:30, those walking to Canberra will have an informal talk about Climate Change at the Lower Plenty Scout Hall.

The serious walking begins the next day with Alan and his counterparts walking up to 30km each day to arrive in Canberra on Monday, October 20.

Those walking with Alan, and equally committed to igniting some Federal and State action in response to Climate Change are: an experienced walker and campaigner who organized last year’s Reef Walk of 1300km, June Norman; a retired hobby farmer from South Australia, Dave Norman, who has been concerned with climate change for 30 years and in 2012 walked 328km in the Walk for Solar Power from Port Augusta to Adelaide; and Eltham’s Martin Hengeveld who has been involved in the environment movement for many years and although he has not participated in any long distance walks, he is a keen hiker.

Likewise, Alan has never participated before in a long-distance activist walk, but has been a keen bushwalker.

A sea turtle will be the mascot for the walk, which is nearly a metre wide and will be carried whenever possible.

Alan said he had chosen the turtle as it will be one of the early victims of Climate Change as increasing temperatures will seriously disrupt it breeding behaviour to such an extent that it could be driven into extinction.

Alan said: “If we are able to walk eight hours a day we can easily cover 25 km, so we can reach Canberra within a month.

“Since there will be at least four people on the walk and only two people need to walk at a time, any person feeling tired or sore can rest in the support vehicle.” he said.

A core group of four will tackle the entire walk, but other people have been invited to join in for particular sections.

“On any given day, people can join us - we would love to have someone else to talk to!  It would be good to contact us the day before so we can organise a time to meet, otherwise just turn up,” Alan said.

Alan said he was hopeful that he and his fellow walkers would be greeted at Canberra by the Greens Member for Melbourne, Adam Brandt.