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Barry Commoner Quotes

Biologist

Barry Commoner was an esteemed biologist, born on May 28, 1917, and passed away on September 30, 2012. He made significant contributions to environmental science, particularly in the fields of soil pollution and environmental protection.

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Famous Barry Commoner Quotes

“The environmental crisis is a sign that the ecosphere is now so heavily strained that its continued stability is threatened. It is a warning that we must discover the source of this suicidal drive and master it before it destroys the environment-and ourselves.”

Environment Masters Source Crisis Environmental Stability Warning Threatened Suicidal Environmental Crisis

Book:The Closing Circle: Nature, Man, and Technology

Source: The Closing Circle: Nature, Man, and Technology

“Air pollution is not merely a nuisance and a threat to health. It is a reminder that our most celebrated technological achievements-the automobile, the jet plane, the power plant, industry in general, and indeed the modern city itself-are, in the environment, failures.”

Cities Environment Air Modern Industry Achievement Threat Plant Environmental Planes Pollution Technological Reminders Automobile Jet Nuisance Power Plants Air Pollution Jet Planes

Author:Barry Commoner

“In general, any productive activity which introduces substances foreign to the natural environment runs a considerable risk of polluting it.”

Running Natural Environment Risk Activity Environmental Substance Productive Introducing Pollution Natural Environment

Book:The Closing Circle: Nature, Man, and Technology

Source: The Closing Circle: Nature, Man, and Technology

“For that reason the simple test of the slogan 'Consume Less' as a basis for social action on the environment would be to tell it to the blacks in the ghetto. The message will not be very well received for there are many people in this country who consume less than is needed to sustain a decent life.”

People Wells Country Reason Would Be Action Social Simple Environment Needed Messages Tests Bases Decent Slogans Ghetto Affluence Social Action Decent Life

Author:Barry Commoner

“The proper use of science is not to conquer nature but to live in it.”

Use Earth Environment Environmental Conquer Mother Earth Planet Earth Earth Day Earth And Nature Green Earth Beautiful Earth Green Living Inspirational Earth Love And Nature Happy Earth Day Earth Friendly Uses Of Science

Author:Barry Commoner

“Recycling is a good thing to do. It makes people feel good to do it. The thing I want to emphasize is the vast difference between recycling for the purpose of feeling good and recycling for the purpose of solving the trash problem.”

People Want Feels Feelings Problem Purpose Differences Environment Good Things Feel Good Things To Do Trash Recycling Reuse

Author:Barry Commoner

“What is new is that environmentalism intensely illuminates the need to confront the corporate domain at its most powerful and guarded point - the exclusive right to govern the systems of production.”

Needs Powerful Environment Environmental Productions Corporate Most Powerful Domain Exclusive Environmentalism Guarded

Author:Barry Commoner

“When you fully understand the situation, it is worse than you think.”

Thinking Understanding Situation Environment Environmental

Author:Barry Commoner

“Everything is connected to everything else. Everything must go somewhere. Nature knows best. There is no such thing as a free lunch.”

Ifs Knows Nature Environment Connected Lunch Ecology Free Lunch Everything Must Go

Author:Barry Commoner

“The modern assault on the environment began about 50 years ago, during and immediately after World War II.”

World Years War Environment Modern Years Ago Environmental War Of The Worlds World War Ii Assault

Author:Barry Commoner

“Environmental quality was drastically improved while economic activity grew by the simple expedient of removing lead from gasoline - which prevented it from entering the environment.”

Simple Quality Environment Economic Grew Activity Environmental Entering Gasoline Environmental Quality

Author:Barry Commoner

“Sooner or later, wittingly or unwittingly, we must pay for every intrusion on the natural environment.”

Natural Pay Environment Sooner Or Later Natural Environment Intrusion

Book:science and survival

Source: science and survival

About the Author

Born: May 28, 1917
Died: September 30, 2012
Known for: Biologist
Quotes: 60

Books & Sources

science and survivalRelated source material

The Closing Circle: Nature, Man, and TechnologyRelated source material

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