5 Awesome Environmentalists you need to know about

With the onset of climate change, the surge in education about the use of plastics has opened our eyes towards making a change for environmental causes. We have taken positive steps and last year Galaxy Kayaks joined One Percent For The Planet, a non profit organisation which we discuss in the article below.

So without waiting further, here are five heroes guaranteed to inspire and educate you as they did for the team at Galaxy Kayaks.

1. Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya in 1940. She was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. Maathai was an environmental political activist who founded the Green Belt Movement, which focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation and womens rights.

Wangari Maathai is responsable for the huge popularity in planting trees and famously set the mark at planting one billion trees.

In just over a year, in one of the largest mobilisations of people for a cause since the Asian tsunami, 1.5bn trees have been planted in nearly 50 countries, and a further billion more are pledged. 

Wangari Maathai has addressed the UN general assembly, carried the flag at the Olympic games, and received countless awards. Maathai succeeded in putting deforestation high on the agenda across the world.

2. Yvon Chouinard - founder of One PercentForThe Planet and Patagonia

True adventurer, tenkara fly-fishermen, kayaker and lover of the outdoors, he is the founder of sports apparel giant Patagonia and the co-founder of environmental charity 1% For The Planet.

Yvon Chouinard’s journey began in rock climbing where he was part of a group of climbers challenging themselves in Yosemite. From there he began to construct climbing materials and finally began his journey with apparel.

In 1986, Patagonia pledged to give 10% of pre tax profits to small groups of environmental causes. Later, he upped the pledge to 1% of sales if that amount was higher. In 2002 he collaborated with Craig Matthews and createdOne PercentFor The Planet a non for profit organisation to engage businesses with environmental causes by distributing 1% of their sales to restoring the planet.

The non profit organisation has become a worldwide movement impacting businesses and environmental organisations tremendously.

At Galaxy Kayaks we are proud to be a part of One Percent For The Planet and are committed to an environmental commitment as part of our business strategy.

3. Dr Jane Goodall.

Dr Jane Goodall is one of the world’s most foremost experts on ecology and primates. Over the years, Dr Goodall has worked tirelessly to defend the environment to protect the habitat for the survival of animal species.

The Jane Goodall Institute is a global wildlife and environmental conservation organisation, founded in 1977, a global community conservation organisation aiming to protect chimpanzees and inspire people to conserve the natural world we share. Working to improve the lives of people, animals and the environment.

At the age of just 26, Jane travelled from England to Tanzania to take a step into the little known world of wild chimpanzees. Over more than 50 years, she opened a window into the world of primates, our closet living relatives. Not only did she show the urgent need for us to protect the species from extinction, but she was an advocate for the protection of the environment and the needs of local people in their environment. Urges us all to take action on behalf of all living things and the planet.

4. Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson (1907-1964) is regarded by many as the founder of the modern environmental movement. She was an American marine biologist, author and environmentalist.

Rachel Carson published numerous books on marine life and the most notable of which was called Silent Spring which described the devastating effect that pesticides were causing on the environment.

Though her findings were put down by chemical companies and other political players, he observations were later proven correct and eventually pesticides like DDT were banned.

Her work inspired a grassroots movement that led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

5. Sir David Attenborough 

Sir David Attenborough is an English broadcaster and naturalist. He is known worldwide for his natural history documentary series the Life collection. Other works he is known for include The Blue Planet and Planet Earth.

Attenboroughs documentary work have often included references to the impact of human society on the environment and as such has done a tremendous amount of work highlighting the need to protect nature.

“The future of life on earth depends on our ability to take action. Many individuals are doing what they can, but real success can only come if there's a change in our societies and our economics and in our politics. I've been lucky in my lifetime to see some of the greatest spectacles that the natural world has to offer. Surely we have a responsibility to leave for future generations a planet that is healthy, inhabitable by all species.”

-      Sir David Attenborough

To conclude we can say that these awesome environmentalists made significant impacts on our society and nature. This all started with a love for nature and belief that humans have an impact on our environment. Building a love for nature starts with going out and experiencing nature. So what are you waiting for… just get out there!

Notes before you publish. Add in the following URL to the link to One Percent For The Planet (highlighted in red above). 

https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/who-we-are/business-directory/record/0010G000027bYLCQA2