Who was Wangari Maathai?

I was scrolling down the new Facebook interface when I came across a posting from one of my favorite websites, thestoryofstuff.com, that Wangari Maathai had passed away on September 25th. I will not lie that I didn't know much about her, aside from the fact that she planted tress in Africa and was a beautiful example of a strong, motivated African woman.

Maathai started the NGO "The Greenbelt Movement", based in Kenya. The group, according to it's website, aims to "...empower communities worldwide to protect the environment and to promote good governance and cultures of peace" as well as specifically focusing on fostering environmental awareness and caring in Kenya. Her mission was acomplished though empowering Kenyans, especially the women, to plant trees, a mission that spread throughout the continent.

Why trees? Maathai is quoted as saying, "The planting of trees is the planting of ideas. By starting with the simple act of planting a tree, we give hope to ourselves and to future generations." By planting trees, one woman has changed the lives of many African women and thousands of trees have been restored and many forests protected in the process.

I can't imagine a better way to execute justice.