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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

“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

“Finally, since human beings are uniquely capable of producing materials not found in nature, environmental degradation may be due to the resultant intrusion into an ecosystem of a substance wholly foreign to it.”

Humans May Found Human Beings Materials Capable Environmental Dues Substance Pollution Degradation Ecosystems Intrusion Environmental Degradation

Author:Barry Commoner

“Perhaps the simplest example is a synthetic plastic, which unlike natural materials, is not degraded by biological decay. It therefore persists as rubbish or is burned-in both cases causing pollution. In the same way, a substance such as DDT or lead, which plays no role in the chemistry of life and interferes with the actions of substances that do, is bound to cause ecological damage if sufficiently concentrated.”

“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

“The favorite statistic is that the U.S. contains 6 to 7% of the world population but consumes more than half the world's resources and is responsible for that fraction of the total environmental pollution. But this statistic hides another vital fact: that not everyone in the U.S. is so affluent.”

World Facts Half Resources Responsible Environmental Population Pollution Fractions Affluence Affluent World Population Environmental Pollution

Author:Barry Commoner

“Environmental pollution is an incurable disease. It can only be prevented.”

Disease Environmental Pollution Environmental Pollution Incurable Disease

Author:Barry Commoner

“Seen that way, the wholesale transformation of production technologies that is mandated by pollution prevention creates a new surge of economic development.”

Way Technology Economic Development Transformation Productions Pollution Prevention Economic Development Wholesale

Author:Barry Commoner

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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