Earth Day 2019 is on Monday, 22 April. As always, it is a good time to reflect on what Earth gives us and what we take away. This year, Econation marks the day with a few thought-provoking Earth Day quotes that we hope will stimulate and inspire you.
Earth is in our hands
Humans are currently consuming over one and half times the amount of resources that Earth can sustainably supply. This is hurting the Earth.
When we hurt the Earth, we hurt ourselves.
The reason is quite simple, Earth is a system, and we humans are part of that system. So, the Earth is in our hands and we are in Earth’s hands. The irony is that we are hurting the Earth for no good reason. It is proven that after people’s fundamental physical needs are met, our further needs are psychological. Psychological needs are fulfilled by intrinsic satisfactions, which have very little impact on the Earth.
Earth does not belong to us, we belong to Earth.
– Chief Seattle
Earth provides enough to satisfy everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.
– Mahatma Gandhi
We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go to.
– Terri Swearingen
Our shared responsibility
All humans are part of Earth and we all share the impacts we all have. We humans assume the right to make an impact on the Earth but that right must come with the responsibility to ensure that we have less impact than Earth can sustain. This is not currently happening.
The earth is what we all have in common.
– Wendell Berry
The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.
– Robert Swan
You cannot get through a single day without impacting the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.
— Jane Goodall
The benefits to Earth, and to People
By consuming resources within the limit of what the Earth can supply on a sustainable basis we will stop hurting the Earth, and every day will be Earth Day. We can start healing the Earth and leave it a better place for all the children to come, including our own.
When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves.
– David Orr
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
– Native American Proverb
The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.
– Rachel Carson