Genius of Money Post 3

Genius of Money Interview

John Bloom’s interview with Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai sheds light on investments not only as a mean of personal change, but societal transformation too. In June of 1977, Maathai decided to plant trees because of “World Environment Day.” At the time, Kenyan agriculture was mostly dominated by coffee and tea plants, and Maathai thought planting trees would be helpful because regular citizens could grow fruit and thus feed themselves, trees could be used for firewood, and also trees would help reverse soil erosion, which was common at the time. Gaining an understanding of social entrepreneurship, Wangari made the tree into a symbol: if you can plant a tree, you can change your life. Throughout her journey, Wangari has faced many obstacles, such as not having a license to assemble and government officials cutting down the trees she planted for personal use. Yet these struggles have been overcome and countless trees have been planted.

Overall, I find Maathai’s desire to plant trees in hopes of bettering her country inspiring. From my perspective, I wouldn’t think of the tree as a mechanism for changing an entire society. However, trees have allowed Kenyan people to become self-sufficient and have helped to better the environment too. A major takeaway I gather from this interview is how when a person individually invests, there can be a spillover effect that positively effects other people too. For instance, if I were to plant a tree, I would help fight soil erosion and help the environment, and thus help others that are dependent on the soil.