John Knox, a father of two in his 50s, joined PlanBig to help facilitate his plan of bike riding across Australia to meet with communities and raise awareness about climate change.  PlanBig caught up with John on his tour to talk about how he will be celebrating this Father’s Day.

John, we know that the aim of your PlanBig plan Ride-the-Talk is to give your kids the opportunity to live in a safe, carbon free world. As a father, what does this mean to you?

When I set out on my tour I knew that I would be away for five months and would be missing some important family moments, including Father’s Day and my son’s 11th birthday. It was a hard decision but I knew that, for my kids’ sake, I had to do this to raise awareness about climate change and empower people to take action. It will be a wonderful feeling when I am finally reunited with my family, knowing that I’ve made a great contribution to my kids’ future.

What will you be doing on Sunday to celebrate Father’s Day?

For Father’s Day I will be talking to my family on Skype. I try to call home as much as possible but as I am on my bike most of the day this can sometimes be difficult. Of course I would prefer to be home this Sunday, but my family understands why I am doing this and are supporting me every step of the way.

What advice would you give to fathers on how they can do their bit for the environment?

My advice to dads would be to take this opportunity to sit down and think about what they can do to cut energy use around the house. Pull out the last electricity bill and just look at how much electricity is being used and consider what the family can do to reduce wastage. These small steps can make such a big difference and help to make a safe, carbon-free world for our children.

For more information on Ride-the-Talk, visit John’s plan page at www.PlanBig.com.au/Ride-the-Talk