Social Impact Heroes: Why & How John Ward Of Our Planet Project Foundation Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Stanley Bronstein
I wish I had been told about how this project would evolve. It started by accident when I picked up a book describing how the first atomic bombs were invented. Fourteen years later, it dominates my life. I can’t say WHAT I would change about those fourteen years, but having an occasional clue about HOW things would actually change might have been nice. I doubt I’m alone in thinking that, though.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing John Ward.
John Ward is the Director of Our Planet Project Foundation, a nonprofit focused on advancing nuclear disarmament through voter education and grassroots mobilization. He is one of the world’s foremost independent researchers on nuclear weapons issues, with a personal library of more than 400 books and thousands of articles to draw from. Today, John is committed to showing people WHY they are right to be worried about nuclear weapons, and WHAT it is they might do about it.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Certainly. For most of my life I was like most people in the world — I didn’t care much for nuclear weapons, but didn’t think I could do much about them either.
Then one day I read a book about the first atomic bombs that I found fascinating. I bought more books about nuclear weapons. But as I read, my attitude toward them changed. I was a dedicated news junkie for three decades, so why hadn’t I heard about the things I was reading? Facts that should be shouted from rooftops everywhere.
I kept buying books, until today I have over 400 volumes — one of the largest libraries on nuclear weapons in the world. I remember the evening it finally hit me. I remember hair standing up on my forearms and neck as the impact of what I was reading sank in. For the first time, I understood the trouble we are in with nuclear weapons.
They are the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. They stand at warning this very moment. They will undo our civilization if we don’t undo them first. I also realized why astonishing facts such as that one had escaped me for so long. The public is told so little of importance about nuclear weapons that we take them for granted.
But I didn’t know what to do. What could I do? Then I understood that the things I had learned had changed me. Could that knowledge motivate other people as well? Especially when most of us want nukes eliminated anyway?
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
A totally out-of-the-blue offer to fund a nationwide tour promoting the book and Foundation with a PowerPoint presentation.
I did not immediately publish the book when I finished it six years ago. Instead, I sent 200 advance copies to individuals and organizations around the world who write about nuclear weapons. One copy wound up in the hands of a man in New Jersey who lived alone after his wife passed away. He read the book, then contacted me with an offer to fund a promotional tour of North America.
I agreed, but no sooner was everything coming together, than the coronavirus struck. Suddenly, there was no tour. It also seemed like an awkward time to publish a book about nuclear weapons with so much attention focused on the virus.
The tour was cancelled, and the book remained unpublished. But I kept it updated and revised in hopes of putting things back together again when the virus subsided. I was disappointed at the time, but I should also say how gratifying it was to know that I was not alone. To realize that other people were paying attention to this issue as well.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I don’t know about the funniest, but I can tell you about the strangest. I’ve been talking with people about nuclear weapons for years. Most people don’t seem to mind. But one person I met outside a market astonished me.
Even people who do not support nuclear disarmament usually express some reservations about nukes. But this guy was different. He immediately went off on a deranged rant about how nuclear weapons were God’s punishment for the evils of mankind. His eyes bulged out, and spittle began flying from his mouth. As I dodged his spit, his face turned red, and his veins throbbed so hard that I feared he might become violent.
I retreated without saying another word. But as I walked away, his voice rose in volume until I finally reached my car and left. Yet even in my rear view mirror I could see that he was still yelling and shaking his fist. Unfortunately, I can’t say what lessons I learned, but perhaps the moral of the story is that it really does take all kinds.
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
That’s an awkward question to answer because we’re just getting started. But on the other hand, our approach toward nuclear disarmament is brand new as well. Previous efforts to limit or abolish nuclear weapons have involved expert consultations at high-level conferences, or international treaty negotiations, which we also support.
Yet we still live under the threat of nuclear destruction every minute of every day.
An example of a well-meaning effort that will probably fail is the 2017 UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The Treaty’s supporters are dedicated and honest. Their desire to help is genuine. But what good are good intentions if nuclear-armed nations simply ignore them? For 55 years, the landmark Non-Proliferation Treaty has required that nations with nuclear weapons work in good faith toward nuclear disarmament. But they work to improve their arsenals instead.
Our plan avoids all that. Backed by the large majority worldwide who want nukes gone, we propose recruiting enough voters to force the issue. Every poll ever taken agrees that people everywhere want nukes eliminated by a very wide margin. If organized, they would be the mightiest political force ever assembled on Earth. Ignore that, we say!
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Another awkward question because we are so new. But I can say that everyone on Earth will be helped by our cause if we can raise awareness about this issue even a little bit.
A threat of this magnitude requires all hands on deck until a solution is found. Which makes it comforting to know that other organizations are working to eliminate nuclear weapons as well. The difference is our unique, voter-driven approach toward nuclear disarmament. Our plan is covered in detail in the book, taking into account the likely influence of other nations.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
Absolutely! Everything we wish to accomplish depends on it.
First: READ!
Everyone should read our flagship publication, ROLLING THE DICE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS: The Illusion of Control and the Path Forward. Our website is also informative at OurPlanetProject.com
The book explains in detail exactly why nuclear weapons are a threat like no other.
It examines near misses with civilization-ending nuclear wars that few people know about.
It explores some early history and basic scientific principles behind the bomb.
Nuclear hot-spots, and how they came to be that way, are analyzed.
Existing weapons are described, as are groundbreaking nukes under development.
Finally, a comprehensive plan is presented explaining how nuclear disarmament is possible.
Second: ACT!
The most important part. Donations are always put to good use, but supporting nuclear disarmament does not require money. Do you have an hour each week to talk on the phone, or handle email questions? Can you host a PowerPoint presentation or organize a book signing event? There are many ways to help, and every one of them counts.
Third: MAKE politicians act as well!
It’s simple really. The power of numbers, combined with the willingness to make nuclear weapons a priority, can force politicians to act in good faith to eliminate nukes… Or get voted out of office. Defining power always lies with people.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
It’s a well-worn cliché, but leading by example usually works best. Morale rises when you do. For instance, most people feel better about working long hours if the boss is working there with them.
But listening is important, too. Not autopilot-style listening, but honestly trying to understand what someone is saying to you. No matter the outcome, everyone feels better when treated with respect.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1 . I wish I had been told about how this project would evolve. It started by accident when I picked up a book describing how the first atomic bombs were invented. Fourteen years later, it dominates my life. I can’t say WHAT I would change about those fourteen years, but having an occasional clue about HOW things would actually change might have been nice. I doubt I’m alone in thinking that, though.
2 . I wish I had been told there is no such thing as idle time. Not that a little R&R isn’t necessary here and there. But to understand that personal improvement takes effort and time. Putting off too many things for too long can leave too little time left to finish what we started.
3 . I wish I had been told about the burnout barrier. Not my personal barrier, but so much misinformation has been spread about nuclear weapons that people have heard it all. The ‘burnout barrier’ goes up. The barrier is necessary for reasons of sanity, but it also hides things we do need to hear. Understanding that we all have ‘saturation zones’ eventually changed my approach toward talking with people about nukes.
4 . I wish I had been told how much work was involved. To a degree, this relates to the second question, since it eventually becomes clear during a project like this that more work will be required than you ever imagined. Which also makes it seem that you overestimated the time it would take to get things done in the first place.
5 . I wish I had been told more about the rewards. Years ago, there were times when I thought I was making a bad mistake. The road ahead seemed endlessly long, with little chance for meaning or fulfillment at the end.
The road still seems long decades later, but meaning and fulfillment abound. Our Planet Project Foundation is going public after years of preparation, and no one can say what will happen next. But whatever it is, I’m satisfied knowing that I’m doing what I should be doing with my life.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I must say that eliminating nuclear weapons would bring the most good to the most people.
It’s easy to see why. Survivors of a major nuclear war would be those who built secret shelters stocked with everything required to survive several years of independent living. There won’t be many. It seems like a reality TV show, but there are people who understand that nuclear winter is real, and have the resources to prepare for it.
But on the other hand, a superior approach is avoiding nuclear winter in the first place: “The most amount of good to the most amount of people.”
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Don’t waste time if you love life, for time is what life is made of.” I don’t remember where I heard that, but for me it captures the reality that time is our greatest commodity.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. I’m an independent voter and thinker, and it seems unfair that Mr. Kennedy has been criticized for working in a republican administration as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Mr. Kennedy’s motives rise above politics.
You can hear it when he speaks. His voice grows unmistakably emotional when discussing the unhealthy corporate food we feed our children. The health of America knows no politics to someone like Mr. Kennedy. He would have taken the job no matter who was president.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
The primary source of online information is our website at OurPlanetProject.com. A blog is included with weekly posts on topics relevant to nuclear disarmament. Foundation memberships with books and merchandise are available. John Ward can also be booked for a speaking engagement, where questions can be answered in person.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Stanley Bronstein is an attorney, CPA, and author of more than 20 books. However, he doesn’t consider any of those his greatest achievement. His most significant accomplishment was permanently losing 225 pounds and developing the personal growth system that made it possible — The Way of Excellence. As a catalyst for change, he has dedicated his life to helping others maximize their potential, transform their lives, and achieve optimal health. To learn more, you can download a free PDF copy of his latest book, The Way of Excellence Journal, at https://TheWayOfExcellence.com.
Social Impact Heroes: Why & How John Ward Of Our Planet Project Foundation Is Helping To Change Our… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.