Lacandon jungle burned for agriculture in Chiapas, Mexico (Photo by Jami Dwyer) Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai made her mark with a simple but effective idea: Plant trees to stop erosion and restore the ecology in Kenya. In ‘77, she started the Green Belt Movement, which is credited with planting 30 million trees. The movement brought poverty-stricken Kenyans together to replenish natural resources as a means to boost the local economy. But Professor Maathai, aka The Tree Woman, hasn't stopped there. Now, she's tackling global warming. How? Yup, you guessed it: Plant more trees! Why? Carbon dioxide, the major culprit of global warming, is readily consumed by trees. Because of rapid worldwide deforestation, we can no longer depend on natural forests to take care of our global surplus of CO2. Replacing dwindling forests not only helps to prevent climate change, but also beautifies our expanding cityscapes. So, join Maathai in her newest venture, the United Nation's Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, and go plant your tree of choice -- for Earth's sake. Suggested Sites... United Nations Environmental Programme: The Billion Tree Campaign - hoping to plant at least one billion trees before 2008. Can you help? The Green Belt Movement - much more than just planting trees. National Geographic News: Global Warming Fast Facts - pictures presenting the consequences of climate change. Union of Concerned Scientists: Global Warming FAQ - direct answers to common global warming questions. Los Angeles Times: A Global Warming Skeptic's Parting Shot - some senators don't believe in global warming.

Directory categories: Deforestation, Global Warming, Carbon Sequestration, Trees, Restoration Ecology

Archived under: Africa, Environment, Nobel Prize, Science, Society and Culture, Trees, United Nations

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