"For me, one of the major reasons to move beyond just the planting of trees was that I have tendency to look at the causes of a problem. We often preoccupy ourselves with the symptoms, whereas if we went to the root cause of the problems, we would be able to overcome the problems once and for all"

This quote by Wangari Maathai speaks to the value of looking beyond the surface area level of a problem and rather focusing on the root cause. She recommends that if we focus on the signs of a problem, we will just have the ability to provide short-term solutions. However, if we take the time to identify and address the source of the problem, we can attain a more long-term solution. This is why she chose to move beyond simply planting trees and rather focus on the underlying causes of environmental degradation. By doing this, she had the ability to develop more sustainable options that would have a lasting impact. This quote functions as a reminder that we must constantly aim to look beyond the surface level of an issue and rather concentrate on the source in order to develop enduring options.