African Tales Of A Green Planet

'The History of modern West Africa is largely the history of five centuries of trade with European nations commerce was the fundamental relationship that bound Africa to Europe '- Kenneth Onwuka Dike. African Tales Of a Green Planet is a fictional work set in the Niger Delta area of West Africa roughly between 1730-1850, among the Igbo speaking peoples of the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta area of Nigeria is an area blessed in economic terms and has played a pivotal role in the economic history of Africa as a whole. It is an area, which in the first 400 years of trade with Europe produced, first gold, then slaves during the period of the slave trade, and palm oil after the prohibition of the slave trade, and finally crude oil in modern times. This tale explores one man's attempt (Nwosisi) to preserve the African way of life in the Sacred Forest away from all foreign intrusion. He falls deeply in love with a very beautiful girl (Ugonma) and that changes not only the course of his life but that of his environs as well, a metaphor for Africa. This tale is recounted by an old Iroko tree five hundreds of years old. In true oral tradition it captures a story of love, trade and politics, power struggles, foreign intruders, mysticism, and the daunting task of one man's attempt to preserve 'a way of life' in danger of extinction. This attempt seemed doomed from the onset; just as the notion of preserving a green planet is doomed in the context of so-called modern civilization.

"Author and illustrator Jacqui Taylor has designed The Queen of Green for children, as well as all those involved with children, to teach them what it means to "go green" and how they can assist in taking better care of planet earth. Through the medium of contemporary verses, marvellous illustrations, tips and facts, she goes straight to the heart of the matter - that they need to love the earth. She wants them to realise that they can be a part of the solution, rather than the problem, and have fun at the same time. Concepts such as "global warming" and "climate change" are explained in a way that children will understand. It's a must for every child; their parents, grandparents, teachers and child carers might discover that they too can learn something new!"--BOOK Southern Africa website.

Author and illustrator Jacqui Taylor has designed The Queen of Green for children, as well as all those involved with children, to teach them what it means to ‘go green’ and how they can assist in taking better care of planet earth. Through the medium of contemporary verses, marvellous illustrations, tips and facts, she goes straight to the heart of the matter – we need to love the earth. She wants children to realise that they can be a part of the solution, rather than the problem, and have fun at the same time. Concepts such as ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’ are explained in a way that children will understand. It’s a must for every child; their parents, grandparents, teachers and child carers might discover that they too can learn something new!

Praise for The Green Planet (BBC One) 'David Attenborough's gobsmacking, awe-inspiring return' The Guardian 'The Green Planet reveals the secret lives of plants in the same way The Blue Planet opened our eyes to the oceans' New Scientist There's something new under the sun Plants live secret, unseen lives - hidden in their magical world and on their timescale. From the richest jungles to the harshest deserts, from the snowiest alpine forest to the remotest steaming swamp, Green Planet travels from one great habitat to the next, showing us that plants are as aggressive, competitive and dramatic as the animals on our planet. You will discover agents of death, who ruthlessly engulf their host plant, but also those that form deep and complex relationships with other species, such as the desert cacti who use nectar-loving bats to pollinate. Although plants are undoubtedly the stars of the show, a fascinating new light will be shed on the animals that interact with them. Using the latest technologies and showcasing over two decades of new discoveries, Green Planet reveals the strange and wonderful life of plants like never before - a life full of remarkable behaviour, emotional stories and surprising heroes.

"The Story of Life & the Environment: An African Perspective is about the fragile miracle of life. It's a celebration of the Earth's rich and wonderful diversity - the species, populations, communities and ecosystems that surround us - and of nature's resilience. It unpacks the three major ecosystems: fresh water, the ocean and the land, and the teeming life each supports on and around Africa. It discusses evolution and the ever-branching tree of life; how systems work, how populations expand and contract, and how all the elements of life interact. And it tells the story of how humans originated in Africa, and how we have evolved to become modern people. The book sounds a warning about our human impact on the planet, which is fostering rapid climate change, as well as massive over-consumption and depletion of resources. The book is also about responsible planning and management of our environment and natural resources to redress damage and ensure sustainability. This is the story of life and the environment in Africa."--Provided by publisher.

Green Planet Blues speaks with many voices - from Garrett Hardin and Herman Daly to Tanvi Nagpal, Chico Mendes, and Gita Sen, and from the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme to indigenous peoples of the Amazon, North-South relations combined with an emphasis on class, race, and gender are leitmotivs threaded throughout the selections.

This children's storybook contains five African folktales. The first story explains How the Tortoise Got Its Rough Shell. The animals had a summit with the supreme being, Eke, in the sky. Greed and lack of altruism cost the Tortoise dearly, as he crash-landed onto the roof of his hut from the sky. His broken shells were mended by Snail, but the result was a tortoise with rough shells. Altruism and concern for others are the morals of this story. The second story which extols the pride of motherhood is on The Farmer Who Buried His Mother Alive. Donealot, the successful farmer, had no choice other than to bury his persistently sick mother in the evil forest at night with the help of his friend, Conscience. The spirits of the evil forest brought his mother back home to a remorseful son with a sobering message, "You can never do enough for your mother." Encounters of the Lion and the Tortoise is the third story. In two separate incidents, Tortoise outwits Lion. The animals that were on their way to work for Lion never got there. Instead, Tortoise intercepted and entertained them all day with his melodious music. Wiseone, the youngest son of Tortoise, survived a murder attempt by Lion. Agunta, Lion's son, was killed instead. Wiseone returns home to a heroic welcome, with a reminder to all of us that wits usually prevail over raw strength, and that slow and steady wins the race. The story of The Two Mischievous Brothers describes how two brothers, Kofi and Uka, conspired to swindle people. On market days, Uka would transform himself into a bull, and his brother Kofi took him to the market. Unsuspecting buyers would exchange the bull for other animals. Uka, the bull, escaped from the buyer and transformed himself back into a human, only to be resold to someone else. The two brothers ran out of luck when Nkume, the buyer with magical powers, beat them to their game. The moral of the story is that it does not pay to be a cheat. The fifth story, Vengeance of the God of Justice - Amadioha, explains the ordeal Chuk went through at the hands of his wicked stepmother, Dab. This heir to the throne of the ancient city of Kaa survived numerous physical and emotional abuses from Dab. He was buried alive for a crime he never committed. Only the timely intervention of the god of justice - Amadioha brought him back from the grave. The moral of the story is that we should be careful not to maltreat the less-privileged in our society, because the natural law of justice is sure to catch up with us if we treat others unfairly.

A boy grows up to make positive change in his community. After suffering much heartache, Sundar decides change must come to his small Indian village. He believes girls should be valued as much as boys and that land should not be needlessly destroyed. Sundar’s plan? To celebrate the birth of every girl with the planting of 111 trees. Though many villagers resist at first, Sundar slowly gains their support, and today, over a quarter of a million trees grow in his village. A once barren, deforested landscape has become a fertile, prosperous one where girls can thrive. Sure to plant seeds of hope in children. Improving the world is within everyone’s reach.