Comments on: Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai

homunculus — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 18:05:18 -0800

Kenyan ecologist Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement in Africa, has won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. [Via WorldChanging.]

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 18:14:11 -0800

Yay! I was so delighted to hear this on the radio this afternoon. I think it's fantastic that this year's peace prize is going to someone who's done so much to save the Earth as a whole, instead of someone who's enmeshed in the same old international clashes.

By: yoga

yoga — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 19:50:29 -0800

I listened to discussion on NPR about this today. How inspiring, not just environmental, but human rights-wise, to buck the government, be a "dissident", and stick to your vision. Wow. A ray of hope that the individual can be heard after all. That is just wonderful!

By: gesamtkunstwerk

gesamtkunstwerk — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 22:11:56 -0800

I'd never heard of Maathai, but I am excited to hear more about her. I really appreciate the thought that has gone into the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize, and it's nice to learn about such an accomplished activist. I think the link between sustainable ecological development and human rights is important. Go Sweden!

By: jb

jb — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 23:27:36 -0800

This is wonderful news.

By: mr.marx

mr.marx — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 23:42:24 -0800

Go Norway, actually. The Peace Prize is the one Nobel award not given out in Sweden. (Norway and Sweden were in a union, under one king, between 1814 and 1905. Alfred Nobel lived 1833-96).

By: Dukebloo

Dukebloo — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 00:11:06 -0800

Need some wood?

By: lodurr

lodurr — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 06:09:51 -0800

What I find impressive about this is that her methods integrated solutions to so many problems. She managed to encourage reforestation, participation by women in the economy, long-term responsibility (you couldn't get paid for planting the trees unless they survived, which meant you had to look after them). This strikes me as a rather thoughtful decision.

By: ruelle

ruelle — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 17:22:36 -0800

This article touches upon her daily, personal struggle.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 17:57:27 -0800

My brother dampened my excitement at this news a bit by pointing out that she believes HIV/AIDS was created by scientists for the purpose of mass extermination. Doesn't take away from all the good stuff she's doing, but that's pretty sad.

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Sat, 09 Oct 2004 20:07:32 -0800

Well, Linus Pauling believed that vitamin C could cure cancer, and Kary Mullis believes that humans are regularly abducted by aliens. There's no rule that says Nobel winners can't have a bizarre delusion or two.