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The Power of One: Wangari Maathai

How can we measure the power of one? It's almost impossible to quantify. If we ever tried, we would surely underestimate the impact one person can have on our world. Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai showed us the power of one. Her Green Belt Movement, founded in Kenya in 1977, is responsible for planting over 47 million trees to date. The power of trees can't be easily quantified either. Trees provide basic services like shade, oxygen, food, medicine, and filtering and cleaning ou...

Kids to Climate Delegates: Stop Talking. Start Planting

In 2007, a German fourth grader, Felix Finkbeiner prepared for a school presentation on the climate crisis. While researching on the internet, Felix was inspired by the Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai and her “Green Belt Movement” in Africa. After his presentation, Felix spontaneously said to his classmates, "let's plant one million trees in each country" and  Plant For The Planet was born. The children's message to the politicians is a simple one, "stop talking and start planting." ...

Florida’s Great Senator- The Oldest Cypress Tree in North America

Every young student can tell you what are the biggest theme-park attractions in Orlando.  But probably very few can tell you about Big Tree Park, home Florida's oldest and most distinguished resident, the Senator bald cypress tree. Located in Longwood, FL , the Senator majestically looms high as if he could touch the clouds, above a land blanketed with way too many strip malls and concrete. Big Tree Park, part of the Spring Hammock Preserve is a nice reprieve from the modernized world and als...