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Population Report Edition I: 2005 Printer-friendly version of this page Feature Story Environmental Activist Wins 2004 Nobel Peace Prize By Bonnie Tillery - Sierra Club Global Population and Environment Committee News From Capitol Hill Feature Story In the Spotlight Let's Get Active Resources The broad, bright smile and colorful African robes belie the difficult years experienced by Kenyan Wangari Maathai before she became the first environmentalist and first woman from Africa to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She was beaten, jailed and at one point forced to leave her homeland; but she persevered, and as a professor of zoology campaigned against forest clearing, eventually winning a seat in Parliament and being appointed deputy minister of environment. Why recognize an environmentalist? In Maathai's own words, "The everyday fight for survival of those who depend directly on natural resources - forests, water, minerals - for their livelihoods is at the heart of the battle for peace and human security. When natural resources get scarce, wars are started. If we improve the management of our natural resources, we help promote peace." The road to this honor began in 1977 when Maathai planted seven trees in her garden in honor of Kenyan female environmentalists. She eventually formed the Green Belt Movement and today in Kenya there are approximately 10,000 women who have jobs through that Movement, and have planted an estimated 30 million trees to help combat deforestation. Between British colonialists and Kenyan farmers, as well as the previous corrupt regime of President Daniel arap Moi, an estimated 75% of the forests were cleared in the last 150 years. Women in Kenyan villages also needed to gather firewood to cook meals for their families. This has left only 2% of Kenya with forested land. Maathai wanted to curtail deforestation and desertification and produce sustainable wood for fuel use as well as combat soil erosion. In an interview on NPR, Maathai said that the poor are over-mining the environment to try to maintain their lives and the rich are over-consuming. Her life's work has revolved around getting people to cooperate in order to sustain the planet. Green Belt members are re-learning the knowledge of their ancestors such as planting indigenous crops, using organic methods, and providing food for their families from kitchen gardens. Through paid employment for planting trees, women are able to better care for their children and their children's future. Recognizing that a sustainable planet includes a sustainable population, the Green Belt Movement works with women's organizations to find solutions to poverty, HIV/AIDS, orphans and food insecurity. They "assist, especially young girls and women, to face the challenges of growing up, making complex decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, and gaining knowledge and skills to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS." The head of the Nobel Committee said, "Peace on earth depends on our ability to secure our living environment." To which Maathai adds, "In managing our resources... we plant the seeds of peace, both now and in the future." Read more about the Greenbelt Movement Read about Wangari Maathai's Goldman Environmental Prize Photo courtesy of the Greenbelt Movement Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club