Tony Gleeson
Tony plans to fast for up to five days in solidarity with CJF.
"I am a high school teacher nearing the end of my classroom-teaching career. I’ve long been concerned about our inability to put limits on our consumption and the impacts this is having on our environment, and have been active in local environment groups for over twenty-eight years.
I am deeply concerned that we’re doing too little, too slowly, to address climate change. I had a major life-changing experience three years ago while visiting the Spiti Valley in the foothills of the Himalayas in Northern India. The locals had so little materially, but were still incredibly happy in the simplicity of their lifestyle.
There, I saw a group of young people working to educate their communities about the importance of reducing their carbon footprint, because they relied on glacial melts for their fresh water and had been watching these slowly retreat in recent times. Here was a group of people who had contributed very little, if anything, to climate change, but were being the first to be affected by it.
I came back determined to do my best to turn this around. I have since become deeply involved in and inspired and empowered by the climate movement here in Australia. Here is evidence of the energy of mass action: people from all ages united by a common concern and a determination not to just sit back and complain. Yet I feel that the movement isn't being listened to, and that other actions need to be tried. I was attracted to Climate Justice Fast! by its uniqueness and by the passion of those involved, and am looking forward to helping make it a success."
