Numbers in the News: Black History Month

A celebration of Black leaders who work to protect the environment

GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES (MAATHAI); KEN STOCKPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (TREES)

51 MILLION

The number of trees planted by women in Kenya since 1977 as part of a movement started by Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai (1940-2011).

COURTESY OF JOHN FRANCIS

22 YEARS

The number of years John Francis traveled only by foot after witnessing an oil spill in 1971. He didn’t ride in a gas-powered vehicle again until 1994.

$361,629

COURTESY OF JOHN FRANCIS (FRANCIS); ASTRID STAWIARZ/GETTY IMAGES FOR SHORTY AWARDS

The amount of money raised by 13-year-old Mari Copeny from Flint, Michigan, to provide water filters to U.S. communities, like hers, that lack access to clean drinking water.

2009

WDC PHOTOS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

The year Lisa P. Jackson became the first Black person to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

THINK ABOUT IT: Research one of the people above. What else have they achieved? What challenges did they overcome to reach these goals?

SOURCES: THE GREEN BELT MOVEMENT, PLANETWALK.ORG, MARICOPENY.COM, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

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