Wangari Maathai

Culture defines who we are and how we see ourselves. A new attitude toward nature provides space for a new attitude toward…

— Wangari Maathai

I am working to make sure we don't only protect the environment, we also improve governance.

— Wangari Maathai

We tend to put the environment last because we think the first thing we have to do is eliminate poverty and send…

— Wangari Maathai

An individual citizen cannot protect himself from the powers of large corporations or external governments. It is the responsibility of the government…

— Wangari Maathai

The developed world should be willing to help [Africa] and support her and make this energy affordable.

— Wangari Maathai

What a friend we have in a tree, the tree is the symbol of hope, self improvement and what people can do…

— Wangari Maathai

There's a general culture in this country to cut all the trees. It makes me so angry because everyone is cutting and…

— Wangari Maathai

I don't believe [Africa] is ready to shift - and she needs to shift. So she needs to get the technology and…

— Wangari Maathai

Now when Nile perch was introduced [into Lake Victoria], I don't think enough research was done; maybe it was done, maybe it…

— Wangari Maathai

Anybody can dig a hole and plant a tree. But make sure it survives. You have to nurture it, you have to…

— Wangari Maathai

The American government has spent a lot of money trying to reclaim, for example, the Everglades, and to allow the natural vegetation…

— Wangari Maathai

When I went back home, I was constantly being reminded, I'm an African woman, and so there are certain things I shouldn't…

— Wangari Maathai

What I am trying to say is that they need to learn to rely on themselves and to learn from other people,…

— Wangari Maathai

When resources are degraded, we start competing for them, whether it is at the local level in Kenya, where we had tribal…

— Wangari Maathai

We think that diamonds are very important, gold is very important, all these minerals are very important. We call them precious minerals,…

— Wangari Maathai

It was easy for me to be ridiculed and for both men and women to perceive that maybe I'm a bit crazy…

— Wangari Maathai

Having studied biology really helped me a lot because I quickly understand how biological systems work, and how they fail, and the…

— Wangari Maathai

I have always felt that perhaps women have sometimes almost embraced the same values as men, and the same character as men,…

— Wangari Maathai

I stand before you and the world humbled by this recognition and uplifted by the honour of being the 2004 Nobel Peace…

— Wangari Maathai

For the rains and the rivers you need forests and you need to make sure these your forests are all protected, that…

— Wangari Maathai

Today we are faced with a challenge that calls for a shift in our thinking, so that humanity stops threatening its life-support…

— Wangari Maathai

It is very important for young people not to be afraid of engaging in areas that are not common to the youth.…

— Wangari Maathai

One of the reasons why we started the Green Belt Movement is to work with these ordinary peasant farmers so as to…

— Wangari Maathai

You have to know yourself, and that once you know yourself, then you cannot be bound by - because sometimes we are…

— Wangari Maathai

We are very fond of blaming the poor for destroying the environment. But often it is the powerful, including governments, that are…

— Wangari Maathai

It is wonderful when you don't have the fear, and a lot of the time I don't ... I focus on what…

— Wangari Maathai

What people see as fearlessness is really persistence. Because I am focused on the solution, I don't see the danger.

— Wangari Maathai

We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath our children a…

— Wangari Maathai

I think some of these solutions are prepared in an office without a full understanding of the local situation.

— Wangari Maathai

You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their…

— Wangari Maathai

It's the little things citizens do. That's what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.

— Wangari Maathai

“Finally I was able to see that if I had a contribution I wanted to make, I must do it, despite what…

— Wangari Maathai

I know there is pain when sawmills close and people lose jobs, but we have to make a choice. We need water…

— Wangari Maathai

We do the right thing not to please people but because it's the only logically reasonable thing to do, as long as…

— Wangari Maathai

As long as there is no trust and confidence that there will be justice and fairness in resource distribution, political positioning will…

— Wangari Maathai

In a few decades, the relationship between the environment, resources and conflict may seem almost as obvious as the connection we see…

— Wangari Maathai

If you make mistakes that is alright because we all make mistakes and we learn from those mistakes. You gain confidence from…

— Wangari Maathai

Unfortunately, the issues of climate change, unlike many other issues, are very subtle because the changes we observe are very, very subtle.

— Wangari Maathai

Sometimes we become bound by other people's thoughts because we are not sure about ourselves.

— Wangari Maathai

You can make a lot of speeches, but the real thing is when you dig a hole, plant a tree, give it…

— Wangari Maathai