Bikes, boats, and paddleboards—a tour of the world with Markus Pukonen

08/16/23 • 56 min

It’s apparent that Markus Pukonen, the Founding Director and Lead Explorer of Routes of Change, loves movement, primarily through his own muscle power and in nature. He loves it so much that he went around the entire world over the last eight years without the use of motorized vehicles.
And now that he’s completed his travels and returned to Canada, we caught him for a short conversation, in which he tells us about:
🚴‍♂️what motivated him to travel eight years ago

🏄‍♂️the charitable causes he supported along the way

⛵️a windless (and then stormy) passage across the Indian Ocean

🎿and much more!Organizations, places, and content mentioned in this episode include:

-Markus’ nonprofit organization Routes of Change: https://routesofchange.org/

-a video of his arrival back in Toronto: https://www.instagram.com/p/CunFyVmAdOV/

-surfing in Tofino, British Columbia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2M84IJ71Ko&ab_channel=HighOnLife

-OAR Northwest’s rowing expedition around Vancouver Island : https://oarnorthwest.com/expeditions/salish-expedition-2012/

-toronto.com’s account of Markus and his friends rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in 2013: https://www.toronto.com/news/markus-pukonen-recounts-crossing-the-atlantic-ocean/article_72c8458e-b4fa-5210-82e6-5df1980adb2a.html?

-Markus’ YouTube channel with episodes documenting his journey: https://www.youtube.com/@Routesofchange

-Tim Harvey and Colin Angus, who circumnavigated the planet through human power: https://thetyee.ca/Books/2007/04/02/ColinAngus/

-Adam Kreek, Estonian-Canadian rower, business coach, and a friend of Markus: https://www.valuesdrivenachievement.com/

-Markus’ circumnavigation route map between 2015 and 2023: https://findpenguins.com/routesofchange

-a comparison of trimarans vs catamarans: https://www.windward-islands.net/blog/trimaran-vs-catamaran-what-are-the-differences/

-the first part of Markus’ trip down the Mekong River: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9LgVai4FIQ&ab_channel=RoutesofChange

-Prevent Cancer Now, one of the charities that Markus has supported: https://preventcancernow.ca/

-support Markus’ film and book projects and sign up to his updates through these links: https://routesofchange.org/give-change
https://routesofchange.org/signup

Socials:
➡️ @estonianmusicweek
https://www.facebook.com/EstonianMusicWeek
➡️ https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca
➡️ @eestielu.ca
https://www.facebook.com/eestielu.ca/events
➡️ @vemu.emc
https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

🏄‍♂️the charitable causes he supported along the way

⛵️a windless (and then stormy) passage across the Indian Ocean

🎿and much more!Organizations, places, and content mentioned in this episode include:

-Markus’ nonprofit organization Routes of Change: https://routesofchange.org/

-a video of his arrival back in Toronto: https://www.instagram.com/p/CunFyVmAdOV/

-surfing in Tofino, British Columbia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2M84IJ71Ko&ab_channel=HighOnLife

-OAR Northwest’s rowing expedition around Vancouver Island : https://oarnorthwest.com/expeditions/salish-expedition-2012/

-Markus’ YouTube channel with episodes documenting his journey: https://www.youtube.com/@Routesofchange

-Tim Harvey and Colin Angus, who circumnavigated the planet through human power: https://thetyee.ca/Books/2007/04/02/ColinAngus/

-Adam Kreek, Estonian-Canadian rower, business coach, and a friend of Markus: https://www.valuesdrivenachievement.com/

-Markus’ circumnavigation route map between 2015 and 2023: https://findpenguins.com/routesofchange

-a comparison of trimarans vs catamarans: https://www.windward-islands.net/blog/trimaran-vs-catamaran-what-are-the-differences/

-the first part of Markus’ trip down the Mekong River: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9LgVai4FIQ&ab_channel=RoutesofChange

-Prevent Cancer Now, one of the charities that Markus has supported: https://preventcancernow.ca/

-support Markus’ film and book projects and sign up to his updates through these links: https://routesofchange.org/give-change
https://routesofchange.org/signup

Previous Episode

Past and Future Urban Planning with Eric Sehr

Eric Sehr, Project Manager for the City of Toronto's waterfront renewal projects, displays equal enthusiasm for the past as he does for the future. It’s a refreshing balance no matter where you stand on the issue of preserving the heritage of a city versus making way for new structures. And on that note, he’s written a great deal about the history of Toronto’s buildings and neighbourhoods.

(If you like what you hear, Sehr will be delivering an online historical lecture on August 8th, 2023, look below to sign up.)

In this episode, hear about:

🏘️how Toronto has changed over the decades and how it will change in the years to come

🏘️Eric’s favourite buildings in Toronto

🏘the concept of layering a city

🏘️and much more!
Organizations, places, and content mentioned in this episode include:
-Information about the City of Toronto’s waterfront revitalization projects: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/waterfront/

-Eric Sehr’s Toronto Shaped blog: https://torontoshaped.wordpress.com/

-Eric’s Amalgamated blog: https://ericvery.wordpress.com/

-Eric Sehr’s Master’s research, “Reurbanizing Suburban Arterial Streets: Lessons from Sheppard Avenue West, Toronto”: https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/papers/9k41zd67q

-About the Harbord Street Bridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B880JI_-9sk&ab_channel=OldTorontoSeries

-Background on Scarborough’s Bluffer’s Park being used as a garbage dump in the past: https://www.blogto.com/city/2021/06/time-when-scarborugh-bluffs-collapsed/

-Union Station, one of Eric’s favourite historic buildings in Toronto: https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/venues-facilities-bookings/booking-city-facilities/union-station/

-Old City Hall, another one of Eric’s favourite historic buildings in Toronto: https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=4255

-The history of the Prince Edward Viaduct: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/online-exhibits/web-exhibits/web-exhibits-architecture-infrastructure/bridging-the-don-the-prince-edward-viaduct/bridging-the-don-the-viaduct-opens/#:~:text=The%20Prince%20was%20immensely%20popular,to%20the%20Prince%20Edward%20Viaduct.

-Details about Eric Sehr's August 8th, 2023 lecture titled "The Tragic Fate of Huron Elliott: A Forgotten Indigenous Worker on Toronto’s Water Tunnel Project": https://toront

Next Episode

Understanding e-Estonia's success story—an interview with Anett Numa

As described by Anett Numa from Accelerate Estonia, the nation’s success as a technological innovator was in part shaped by the lobbying of Estonians in the 1960s, during the Soviet occupation.

But once independence was regained, what was involved in creating the e-Estonia that is so famous today? And does it have any impact on the rest of the world?

In this episode, hear about:
💻the necessity of making mistakes when applying systemic changes and improving people's lives

💻how almost anyone can become a digital resident of Estonia

💻the e-Estonia exhibition and events happening in Canada this september

💻and much more!
Content mentioned in this episode includes:
-Follow Anett on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anettnuma/

-Accelerate Estonia’s website: https://accelerateestonia.ee/

-the official e-Estonia website: https://e-estonia.com/

-Bolt, Estonia’s ride sharing app: https://bolt.eu/

-an explanation of MedTech: https://www.talkinghealthtech.com/glossary/medtech

-an article about how Estonia supported the development of digital governance in Ukraine (written by Eesti Elu’s Natalie Jenkins): https://eestielu.ca/how-e-estonian-governance-is-inspiring-ukrainian-digital-governance/

-Sign up to VEMU Estonian Museum Canada’s newsletter for updates on the exhibition from Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom that will be opening at Tartu College in Toronto, Canada: https://vemu.ca/