Page 200 - @ccess 2 Teacher´s Book
P. 200
need a diploma to plant a tree.” Initially, we the Norwegian Forestry Society asking for it. The
tried to give them seeds and then we decided rest is history.
against it. We said, “If we give them seeds, they
will become dependent on us.” We said, “If you TRACK 39 (Practice 7, Activity 9)
plant a tree and the tree survives, the movement
will compensate you with a very small amount of Boy 1: I don’t think we have anything in common
money, the amount of 4 US cents for a tree that with Wangari Maathai. She won the Nobel prize!
survives. And so they just started very, very, very How can we relate to that?!
small, very, very small. And before too long, they Boy 2: I’m sure we have more things in common
started showing each other how to plant trees. with her than you think. She noticed how people
And before we knew it, they just started working had affected the environment and she did
with me. something to change it.
Woman: That is how Wangari Maathai founded Boy 3: That’s right. Last year we did some
the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental research on pollution and after reading lots of
organization which encourages women to articles about the topic, we implemented some
plant trees to combat deforestation and solutions in the school.
environmental degradation. To date, the great Boy 4: Yes, I remember that other students didn’t
Belt Movement has planted over 50 million want to participate at first. Nobody separated
trees. Wangari Maathai was aware that the the garbage and they used lots of disposable
environment was directly linked to issues of plastic plates and cups.
governance, peace and human rights, thus she Boy 1: Oh, you’re right! But everything changed
used her organization to struggle against abuses when we invited everybody to plant trees in
of power, such as land-grabbing or the illegal the park.
detention of political opponents. In 2004, she Boy 2: Yes. Most of the school community came
was the first African woman to be awarded the and we had a great time. After that, most of the
Nobel Peace Prize. students started bringing thermos bottles and
Tupperware containers, and now we all recycle.
TRACK 37 (Practice 7, Activity 8) Boy 1: I guess we do have more things in
common with Wangari Maathai than I thought.
Wangari Maathai: I went to the US on a Boy 4: I agree. Hopefully, we can use this as an
scholarship. I studied biology at university. At the example of how to protect what she called “our
weekend, I worked with local environmentalists common home and future.”
to rid the city of air pollution. When I returned
to Kenya, my village was different to what it was TRACK 40 (Practice 7, Activity 17)
before. There were no forests or clean streams.
So, I decided to work with the women and plant Rosa Parks: I boarded a bus and took a seat in
trees. We needed money to fund the Green Belt the colored section, in the back. I was sitting
Movement and I wrote to the executive director behind the white people and all the seats were
of the Norwegian Forestry Society asking for it. taken. A white man demanded to sit where I was,
The rest is history. but I refused to give up my seat. Then, the driver
called the police and I was arrested.
TRACK 38 (Practice 7, Activity 8)
TRACK 41 (Practice 7, Activity 17)
Wangari Maathai: I went to the US on a
scholarship. I studied biology in university. On Rosa Parks: I was arrested today because I
weekends, I worked with local environmentalists refused to give up my seat to a white man. I was
to rid the city of air pollution. When I returned sitting in the colored section of the bus and,
to Kenya, my village was different than it was since there were no seats available in the front,
before. There were no forests or clean streams. I was supposed to stand up and let him take
So, I decided to work with the women and plant my seat. I didn’t know that I would make history
trees. We needed money to fund the Green Belt when I boarded the bus that day.
Movement and I wrote the executive director of
Teacher’s Book 199
