12 Quotes by Environmentalists to Inspire a Sustainable and Just Future
By: Carbon Radio
Tags: Sustainability, Leadership, Future, Climate Change, Environment

12 Quotes by Environmentalists to Inspire a Sustainable and Just Future

This is a list of quotes for environmentalists continuing to fight the good fight. Some of these quotes are meant to replenish you and others are meant to help reinforce ideas about our interconnectedness with nature.

1. “In a few decades, the relationship between the environment, resources and conflict may seem almost as obvious as the connection we see today between human rights, democracy and peace.” — Wangari Maathai

2. “Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it.” — Henry David Thoreau

3. “Environmental justice, for those of you who may not be familiar with the term, goes something like this: no community should be saddled with more environmental burdens and less environmental benefits than any other.” — Majora Carter

4. “Take a course in good water and air; and in the eternal youth of Nature you may renew your own. Go quietly, alone; no harm will befall you.” — John Muir

5. “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” ― Rachel Carson

6. “We’re running the most dangerous experiment in history right now, which is to see how much carbon dioxide the atmosphere can handle before there is an environmental catastrophe.” — Elon Musk

7. “Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans have been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest, living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I would say that they have been in a way more successful than us as far as being in harmony with the environment.” — Jane Goodall

8. “We assume that everything’s becoming more efficient, and in an immediate sense that’s true; our lives are better in many ways. But that improvement has been gained through a massively inefficient use of natural resources.” — Paul Hawken

9. “For way too long, the politicians and the people in power have gotten away with not doing anything to fight the climate crisis, but we will make sure that they will not get away with it any longer. We are striking because we have done our homework and they have not.” — Greta Thunberg

10. “Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth… these are one and the same fight. We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security and women’s empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all.” — Ban Ki-moon

11. “For me, being green means cleaning up the water. Water is the key. Start with water. You can’t ignore the fact that that nearly 80% of US waterways are potentially poisoned — benzene, solvents, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals.” — Erin Brockovich

12. “Meat is a mighty contributor to climate change and other environmental problems. The amount of meat we’re eating is one of the leading causes of climate change. It’s as important as the kind of car you drive — whether you eat meat a lot or how much meat you eat.” — Michael Pollan