Finally I was able to see that if I had a contribution I wanted to make, I must do it, despite what others said. That I was OK the way I was. That it was all right to be strong.
- Wangari Maathai
In John Lennon's popular peace anthem Imagine, the things that divide people are dreamed away, as he asks us to mentally live for a while in a world without religious warfare, territorial walls, and capitalism. Wishing away the things humans fight over, Lennon sings about a world that we can all live in 'as one.'
With the award of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize to Wangari Maathai, a new concern is recognized in the struggle for peace, the need for a healthy environment that we can only enjoy together. Considered by some as an unspoken comment on those countries in violent warfare based on controlling natural resources, Wangari is recognized for providing a way for people to work together to replenish natural resources - a simple yet notable solution.
Instead of treating the symptoms of the problems in Kenya, the 64-year-old biologist attacked the root of poverty and sexism along with their resulting environmental effects. After years of using wood as a primary fuel source, the effects of the loss of trees in Kenya were becoming catastrophic. As deforestation escalated, women were forced to walk further and further for fuel, sapping their time for cooking, and working. Nutrition was failing, poverty rising and the eventual desertification threatened famine.
Wangari responded with The Green Belt Movement, employing mostly impoverished people, 90 percent of which are women, to plant trees. Empowering women to work and educate themselves, this attempt to heal the damaged environment aids agriculture and restores an energy source. As the Noble Prize brings Wangari's work to the public eye it is collectively recognized for it's intrinsic value and brilliance. "Like the best political ideas, Wangari Maathai's Green Belt program is at once simple and complex, specific yet universal, grounded in intellect but insistent upon action" (Hertsgaard). As the natural benefits of trees heap bonus upon bonus, with the planting of each tree soil erosion is stopped, shade is provided, desertification slowed and carbon dioxide emissions absorbed.
Elected to the Kenyan parliament in 2002 and appointed Kenya's Vice Minister of the Environment by President Mwai Kibaki, Wangari has combined establishment with grassroots organization, proving that it is possible to work both within the system and against it. Standing firm to her beliefs regardless of their political popularity, she has been supported by the government but also harassed, detained, and severely beaten with other activists while protesting on behalf of political prisoners in criticism of the previous president Daniel Arap Moi.
Unfortunately not the only physical abuse that she received in her lifetime, Wangari was abandoned and then divorced by her ex-husband. Alone with her three children because she was "too educated, too strong, too successful, too stubborn and too hard to control," Wangari's ex-husband (also an ex-member of Parliament) was right on nearly every point except degree. Never excessively so, this intense, tenacious woman is extremely well educated holding a B.A. from Mt. St. Scholastica in Kansas, an M.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi achieved after studying at the University of Munich in Germany. The first woman to hold a PhD in Kenya, she trail blazed the educational possibilities for women by going on to be the first chair of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy at the University of Nairobi in 1976 and in 1977 an associate Professor.
It was in 1976 that Wangari became active in the National Council of Women of Kenya, becoming their chairman in 1976 until 1987. Through this council on National Earth Day in 1977 she began urging Kenyan farmers, 70 percent of which are women, to begin planting trees to combat the deforestation that was leading to desertification. The Green Belt Movement has now been in operation for nearly 30 years, with estimates of nearly 30 million trees planted. This movement now operates as a Pan African Greenbelt Network with countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and others.
Despite her revolutionary work for women expanding possibilities out of tradition, Wangari has been criticized for her outspoken behaviour and strength. Eerily echoing the complaints of her husband, one women's group spoke of Wangari wilfully ignoring the African customs. Not being docile enough, or respecting men enough, they were shocked and upset that Wangari had even shown insolence to President Moi and the rest of the male-dominated government in her life.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision to award Wangari the prize was based on her contribution to social justice, democracy, sustainability in the environment, and peace. Recognizing her unwavering stance through authoritarian and dictatorial governments, through social persecution and physical abuse, Wangari's award also recognizes, for the first time, an African woman's life. In yet another first, the 2004 Peace Prize is also the first to go to an environmentalist, though Wangari cannot be categorized so simply.
Wangari, nicknamed 'Mama Mici' or mother of trees, spoke of the need for her work after learning of the prize. "The environment is very important in the aspects of peace because when we destroy our resources and our resources become scarce, we fight over that." Not only is the environment important for protecting resources to share but simply for a place to live and enjoy peace. As arguments abound about the economical ramifications of implementing Kyoto even in the face of certain climate change, one can only wonder if wishing each other peace on earth is now an empty promise.
While Lennon's Imagine is a beautiful song filled with admirable sentiment, simply imagining change is not going to be enough. Action will be necessary to protect our environment in order that our grandchildren not continue the fight over resources. This year's Nobel Prize was awarded for just that - action. In a world that is ignoring the motivation for change, Wangari hears the call and is responding to it: "It must be this voice that is telling me to do something, and I am sure it's the same voice that is speaking to everybody on this planet - at least everybody who seems to be concerned about the fate of the world, the fate of this planet."
In the Words of Wangari
We can work together for a better world with men and women of goodwill, those who radiate the intrinsic goodness of humankind. To do so effectively, the world needs a global ethic with values which give meaning to life experiences and, more than religious institutions and dogmas, sustain the non-material dimension of humanity. Mankind's universal values of love, compassion, solidarity, caring, and tolerance should form the basis for this global ethic which should permeate culture, politics, trade, religion and philosophy.
Without such an ethic, the power game, materialism, and individualism take over. So also would anarchy, egoism, hatred, injustice, violence, and intolerance. We must make our choice, or others, less sympa-thetic, will make that choice for us.
- Wangari Maathai, 4th United Nations World Conference on Women, Beijing, September 1995
I wish that women were not so underprivileged. They have no political power and no economic power - no power to change history and shape destiny. They need to search for that something in themselves that enables them to care beyond themselves ... to see what makes them a caring and concerned lot. They need to see that it can be strengthened, not abandoned or called something else - and to turn this awareness into power. I do think, however, that this will be hard, because if you really don't care about personal gain, you don't pursue political power the way some men do - I think you deliberately refuse to pursue it. And then, of course, we are put at a political disadvantage.
- Wangari Maathai
Awards and Honorary Degrees
1978 DAAD Scholarship 1983 Woman of the Year 1984 Alternative Nobel Prize, The Right Livelihood Award 1986 Better World Society Award 1989 Woman of the World 1988 Windstar Award for the Environment 1991 Honorary Doctor of Laws from Williams College 1991 Goldman Prize for Environmental Activity 1992 Hunger Project's Africa Prize for Leadership 1993 Jane Adams Leadership Award 1993 Edinburgh Medal 1994 Golden Ark Award 1994 Honorary Doctoral Degree from Hobart and William Smith COlleges 1997 Global 500 Award from the UN Environmental Protection Agency 1997 Honorary Doctoral Degree - University of Norway 2001 Juliet Hollister Award 2001 Excellence Award from the Kenyan Community Abroad 2002 Outstanding Vision and Commitment Award 2003 WANGO Environment Award 2004 Sophie Prize 2004 Arbor Day Foundation's J. Sterling Morton Award 2004 Conservation Scientist Award 2004 Petra Kelly Prize for the Environment 2004 Nobel Peace Prize
Kosmacher, Jeff (Compiled By). "Renowned Kenyan Environmentalist and Women's Rights Advocate to Speak at SIT." School for International Training. Online October 2004. http://www.sit.edu/news/archive/maathai.html>.
Sears, Priscilla. "Wangari Maathai: You Strike The Woman. . ." Making It Happen (IC#28) Spring 1991, Page 55. Copyright (c)1991, 1996 by Context Institute. <http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC28/Sears.htm>.
Meaghan Daniel can't think of a time in her life when she couldn't have used a nap. A freelance reporter for the Kincardine Independent, a customer care specialist (coffee pourer) in a small shop and a counselor at a Women's Shelter are amongst her many hats. Soon she plans to toss them all in to return to school and study law, as being a feminist just hasn't been alienating enough people to suit her.
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In John Lennon's popular peace anthem Imagine, the things that divide people are dreamed away, as he asks us to mentally live for a while in a world without religious warfare, territorial walls, and capitalism. Wishing away the things humans fight over, Lennon sings about a world that we can all live in 'as one.' 
Meaghan Daniel can't think of a time in her life when she couldn't have used a nap. A freelance reporter for the Kincardine Independent, a customer care specialist (coffee pourer) in a small shop and a counselor at a Women's Shelter are amongst her many hats. Soon she plans to toss them all in to return to school and study law, as being a feminist just hasn't been alienating enough people to suit her. 
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