From Portland to Augusta, a small group of trekkers are observing “Earth Week” by hoofing it from Maine’s largest city to its capital, meeting with local officials along the way “to address the meaning of the environmental message,” said Sam Swenson, organizer of the Maine Earth Walk.
On Thursday morning, Swenson and three other “Maine Earth Walkers” met with Brunswick Town Manager Gary Brown to share the group’s written Earth Day Proclamation:
Following that meeting, while charting a course for Bowdoinham on the way to Augusta for a rally on Tuesday, Swenson said that Brunswick’s top municipal official told the Earth Walkers about plans to extend Amtrak’s Downeaster train to Brunswick and municipal recycling efforts.
“He was very receptive,” Swenson said.
Years ago, Swenson said, he made a similar walk along the same route to share the Earth Day proclamation. Swensen said he has channeled some of his activism since then through the Occupy Maine movement, which he described as a “medium” for messages like that of the Earth Walk.
“It is the people uniting to express their grievances,” said Swenson.
Alan Porter, the driver of a biodiesel tour bus supporting the walkers along their route, also identifies with the Occupy group and stayed at Portland’s Occupy Maine encampment for four months.
All of those making the complete walk are members of the Occupy group, Porter said.
About the Occupy movement, Porter said the hope is to bring “all these little groups together. We’re not going to make any change until we all get together.”
Starting in Portland, the group met with Mayor Michael Brennan. The walkers also met with town officials in Yarmouth on the group’s second day of travel.
On Wednesday, Porter — garbed in a dress shirt, tie and a New England Patriots Super Bowl hat — pulled the group’s biodiesel bus alongside the Brunswick Mall to await the arrival of the Earth Walkers.
The bus is scheduled to roll into Bowdoinham today on its way to Capitol Park in Augusta for a rally and where Earth Walkers will try to meet with Gov. Paul LePage.
“The bus is pretty groovy,” Swenson said, “but that’s not the focus of the walk.”
The focus, Swenson said, is to spread the word about Earth Week, all the way to the top of state government.
“Our intention is to meet with the governor,” Swenson said.
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