Wangari Maathai

"In the struggle for environmental justice, we are all called to be prophets."

"When we honor the earth, we honor ourselves."

"The future belongs to those who plant trees they will never sit under."

"In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground."

"You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you educate them."

"We have a responsibility to protect the environment for future generations."

"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it."

"When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of justice."

"Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven't done a thing. You are just talking."

"I am convinced that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference."

"You rise up and you tell the powers that be: 'I am not going to allow you to destroy this land.'"

"If we do not fight for our rights, if we do not fight for the environment, who will?"

"Environmental conservation is not just about trees; it is about people and their livelihoods."

"Every time you consume, you are voting. You are voting for the kind of world you want to live in."

"I believe that every person has the potential to make a difference."

"When we understand that we are all connected, we will protect one another and the planet."

"The struggle for democracy and human rights in many parts of the world demonstrates the commitment of many people to these principles."

"You cannot separate peace, justice, and environmental conservation."

"In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught."

"As the largest and most powerful nation on the planet, we must lead by example."

"Our daughters and sons deserve to inherit a world no less beautiful than ours."

"When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind."

"I have become convinced that the most important change has to take place in the human heart."

"We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims."

"If you cannot see the value of what you have until it is gone, you will spend the rest of your life searching for it."

"Development must leave people with their dignity."

"You are the generation that has to deal with the consequences of our actions."

"When we work for the common good, we work for ourselves."

"The environment is where we all meet; where we all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share."

"You know you are on the right track when those who do wrong become angry with you."