The TOPtoTOP Expedition’s Visit to Mystic

image courtesy of TOPtoTOP

The Mystic & Noank Library hosted TOPtoTOP’s Schworer family on December 13 to present their global climate change findings from their 16+ year mission. We were thrilled to hear them speak and are amazed at what they do and stand for.

The Swiss-based TOPtoTOP Global Climate Expedition aboard the sailboat Pachamama is the 1st expedition over the “seven seas to the seven summits” that will be achieved by nature and human power only. Their mission is to inspire youth to save our planet with key messages of “climate protection” and “enjoying nature through sport but also give something back to nature”.

The Schwoerer’s journey has spanned over 100,000 nautical miles to over 100 countries. The Galapagos, Everest, Denali, Hawaii, and parts of Africa are just a handful of the awesome destinations explored by the family of 7.  The Schwoerers have educated over 100,000 school children on climate change.

Images of TOPtoTOP’s visit to Mystic (images courtesty of toptotop.org)

TOPtoTOP arrives in Mystic

passing through the drawbridge

docked at Mystic Seaport

The Schworer family at Mystic River Park boardwalk

Dario’s talk at the library

students of Pine Point in Stonington

Excerpt from their website – “In our 16-year expedition around the world, we have seen the impact of climate change and we have also seen places where people are beginning to take charge of their own energy needs in their own communities. Placing solar and wind turbines on our sailboat, by walking and biking when we go ashore has us using less energy ourselves. If we all do this together, it will create more jobs, stronger communities and a more stable climate. We see examples of this all over the world and now it is time to scale it up and make it the normal way that we operate.”

Dario a Swiss climatologist and international ski-and mountain guide lead the library talk/slide presentation while his wife Sabine, a former nurse, chimed in when available. Their 5 extremely adorable and HAPPY children (ages ranging from 1-11, all born aboard their 50 ft. sailboat home) greeted those in attendance with big smiles and a musical opening.

TOPtoTOP also presented at the Mystic Aquarium a couple weeks earlier and visited the Seaport. They will return to Mystic in March of 2017 and are looking to present to more southeastern CT schools.

As a non-governmental organization, TOPtoTOP relies on donations to stay “afloat”. Please consider helping them in any way you can by spreading the word, making small changes to your lifestyle (we bought the remainder of our kids’ holiday gifts from Twice is Nice – a Mystic second-hand kids store). if possible, shoot them a donation here so they can continue their mission.