We are very fond of blaming the poor for destroying the environment. But often it is the powerful, including governments, that are… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
An individual citizen cannot protect himself from the powers of large corporations or external governments. It is the responsibility of the government… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
As long as there is no trust and confidence that there will be justice and fairness in resource distribution, political positioning will… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
I was particularly talking with respect to aid, because that to me is one area that can make people so dependent, and… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
I think that for anybody who has worked in the civil society, government bureaucracy moves very very slowly. — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
The American government has spent a lot of money trying to reclaim, for example, the Everglades, and to allow the natural vegetation… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
There are certain areas where foreign investors can help the local people to generate wealth, and improve their quality of life. Some… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
One of the reasons why I've written The Challenge for Africa is to save it. Surely there are so many problems we… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
But when you have bad governance, of course, these resources are destroyed: The forests are deforested, there is illegal logging, there is… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
I'm sure the government of Qatar is not coming in to grow food for the people of Kenya; it's coming to grow… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
I have always felt that perhaps women have sometimes almost embraced the same values as men, and the same character as men,… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
“A tree has roots in the soil yet reaches to the sky. It tells us that in order to aspire we need… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
Monsanto will not come empty-handed. Monsanto will come with a big bag of money. And because these governments are poor, when they… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
First of all, farmers should work with universities and research institutions in the country, and hopefully with the government. — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
I am working to make sure we don't only protect the environment, we also improve governance. — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
The people are learning that you cannot leave decisions only to leaders. Local groups have to create the political will for change,… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
Sometimes I feel frustration at the bureaucracy for not moving fast enough to deliver in the way that I would prefer. But… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
For example, they have land. The government of Qatar wants to lease the Tana River delta, which is in Kenya, from the… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
The government of Qatar, as I mentioned, has proposed to come and lease Kenya's Tana River delta in order to farm there.… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
We cannot tire or give up. We owe it to the present and future generations of all species to rise up and walk! — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
What I am trying to say is that they need to learn to rely on themselves and to learn from other people, and when… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
As long as there is no trust and confidence that there will be justice and fairness in resource distribution, political positioning will remain more… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
If Africa is left behind, she is going to continue pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, especially carbon. She's going to continue logging the… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
That's the way I do things when I want to celebrate, I always plant a tree. — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
I think that for anybody who has worked in the civil society, government bureaucracy moves very very slowly. — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
I have seen a lot of men, for example, who will make a will and include their daughters whether they are married or not.… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
I was particularly talking with respect to aid, because that to me is one area that can make people so dependent, and unfortunately, that… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
African women in general need to know that it's OK for them to be the way they are - to see the way they… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
As a scientist I cannot say we don't want to hear anything about GMOs, because these are advances in science. But I think its… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
When I first started, it was really an innocent response to the needs of women in rural areas. When we started planting trees to… — Wangari Maathai Copy Share Image
