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| Influential Environmentalists Around the Globe |
Over the past one hundred years there have been many brave men and women that risked their lives and careers in the name of the environment. From the poor to the richest of politicians, people did and continue to stand up for what's right. Environmentalists come from different parts of the world but they all agree on one thing. To put an end to people who ignore the environment and to convince them to help make a difference. In the following paragraphs you will read about some of the most famous and influential environmentalists.
David Suzuki
David Takayoshi Suzuki is arguably the most famous environmentalist of all time. He is the founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. It is an organization that deals with issues like climate change and oceans.
David Suzuki was born in Vancouver, Canada on March 24, 1936. He has always been fascinated with science. He used to be know for his T.V. shows about science and the environment. David is most famous for "The Nature of Things", a documentary series that first aired in 40 countries worldwide. It is still on T.V. today. Today, David Suzuki is better know for his environmental activism. He has been a driving force behind climate change and other global issues. He strives to convince skeptics that climate change and global warming is real. He also organizes opportunities to take action.
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Junior, or Al Gore, is an American politician that strongly believes in the human role in global warming. He has wrote numerous books and founded many non-profit organizations aimed at the environment.
Al Gore's hometown is Washington D.C. He was born on March 31, 1948. Al's political career was a very successful one. He served as the 45th vice-president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He also ran for president in 2000. Al lost the election by very close margins to George W. Bush. Many believe that the world would be a very different place if he had won instead. Al Gore continues to raise awareness about global warming by the thousands of presentations he has made. In 2006, he succeeded at an entirely new level. In that year the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" was released. The award winning film was about a Power Point presentation Al made. A year later, Al Gore was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts on global warming.
Chico Mendes
Unless you live in Brazil, you probably never heard about Chico Mendes. That doesn't mean he doesn't have a fantastic story. He risked everything to save the Brazilian rainforest. Chico is a national hero.
Chico Mendes was born in a small Brazilian village named Santa Fe on December 15, 1944. He worked as a local rubber tapper for a large part of his life. He spent most of his time in the rainforest. Like many others, he learned to love it. When he heard that the government was planning to cut it down, he and many others were outraged. The government said they needed the land for cattle grazing. After Chico failed to convince the government that it was wrong, he explained that rubber tapping generated more income than cattle. Although he was right, the government didn't budge. Chico than organized a protest. He and his supporters stood still in front of incoming bulldozers and workers until they won. Long after Chico's celebrations, he was shot and killed in his own home. He was the 19th activist killed in Brazil that year. Thanks to the work of Chico, Brazil started dedicating some of their rainforest as a national park.
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai is one of few black women that are considered environmental activists. She is known for starting the Green Belt Movement after a lifetime of being ignored and abused in her own country.
Wangari was born on April 1, 1940 in Kenya, Africa. She aimed for changing Kenya. She got an opportunity when she received a scholarship to study in the US. She later traveled to Germany to build on her studies and became the first ever East African women to get a Ph. D. She returned to Kenya and started her activism career. Among other things, Wangari protested against the government and climate change. She was called crazy, beat by the police, and thrown in jail. After being released she was more determined than ever. Wangari founded the Green Belt Movement in Kenya. It was an organization that encouraged people to plant trees. In just 34 years, the GBM planted over 45 million trees in Kenya. In 2004, Wangari Maathai's effort were recognized. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari died very recently on September 25, 2011 from a struggle with cancer. Her legacy lives on with the Green Belt Movement.
I don't think there are many people more influential than the ones discussed above. They each made a big push towards a better world and got others to push with them. David Suzuki influenced the world by making his voice heard using technology and his organization. Al did the same by using his power, background, and supporters. Chico influenced many by risking his own life to stand up for what many others were to afraid to on their own. Wangari also risked a lot to make a difference. All of these people experienced criticism or worse but none of them gave up. They each carved a path for their lives and brought others with them. It's a nearly impossible task to pick the most influential.
After thinking about it, I believe David Suzuki has an edge over everyone else. Chico and Wangari sacrificed a lot but they only influenced the region they lived in. The problem with Al Gore is that he is better known for his political career than his environmental career. David Suzuki is a clear winner to me because protecting the environment and stopping climate change is the only thing he does. He influenced way to many people to not be considered number one. Climate change can't be stopped by one person, it takes the entire world, but when we have a global leader like Suzuki, you know we'll get where we want to be.
"In the coarse of history, there comes a time when humanity is
called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a
higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear
give hope to each other. That time is now."
- Wangari Maathai
References:
Information about Chico Mendes and Wangari Maathai from: about.com
Information about David Suzuki and Al Gore from: wikipedia.org
Pictures on map from: David Suzuki - lordofchaos115.edu.glogster.com
Al Gore - wikipedia.org
Gaylor Nelson - wikipedia.org
Chico Mendes -thewrittenone.wordpress.com
Wangari Maathai - greenbeltmovement.org
