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Quote by Sylvia Earle

“We couldn't go to the moon on whale oil. We don't have the capacity yet to consider doing such things as harnessing current sunlight. We're burning ancient sunlight in order to get us to where we now are. But it's costly.”

Quote by Sylvia Earle

Author

Sylvia Earle, born on August 30, 1935, is a renowned marine explorer. She is known for her in-depth research on marine ecosystems and her advocacy for ocean conservation. more

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“When you think about the real cost of so-called cheap energy that has driven our prosperity to unprecedented levels, for some of us, to our horror, we've realized that this has the potential for burning brightly and then snuffing out.”

Thinking Real Energy Levels Horror Cost Prosperity Driven Burning Unprecedented

Author:Sylvia Earle

“The very energy sources that have gotten us to where we are now are also, if we continue doing what we're doing, a shortcut to the end of all that we hold near and dear.”

Ifs Ends Energy Source Dear Shortcuts Energy Sources

Author:Sylvia Earle

“We have the capacity to alter the nature of nature. No, we don't have just the capacity - we are altering the nature of nature, the natural systems that cause the planet to function in our favor.”

Causes Natural Planets Capacity Function Favors

Author:Sylvia Earle

“We have an atmosphere that is roughly 21% oxygen. The rest of it is largely nitrogen. There's just enough carbon dioxide (CO2) to drive photosynthesis. That has been, throughout the history of our species, pretty stable. Until recently.”

Has Beens Enough Species Atmosphere Stable Carbon Oxygen Carbon Dioxide Co2 Nitrogen Photosynthesis

Author:Sylvia Earle

“The burning of fossil fuels has altered the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere so rapidly and so abundantly that now, we are driving not just the warming trend, not just the sea level rise that is a consequence of the warming trend that is melting polar ice and alpine ice, but also [ocean acidification].”

Levels Sea Amount Ocean Consequence Driving Ice Burning Atmosphere Fuel Trends Carbon Fossils Melting Altered Fossil Fuel Carbon Dioxide Alpine Sea Level Rise Ocean Acidification

Author:Sylvia Earle

“We woke up some years ago about the consequences of ozone depletion, the hole in the atmosphere. You can't see it. You can't taste it. You can't smell it. But now we do regard that as a key issue. It's a scientific finding.”

Years Issues Keys Taste Findings Consequence Years Ago Regard Smell Holes Atmosphere Ozone Ozone Depletion

Author:Sylvia Earle

“It's baffling why the issues relating to climate change - [which] have far more obvious and tangible and much more clear-cut evidence about the cause - have been slower for people to accept as a given.”

People Has Beens Given Causes Accepting Issues Clear Cutting Evidence Climate Climate Change Obvious Tangible

Author:Sylvia Earle

“The climate has been changing. Of course it [has]. Evidence throughout history, [which] we can assess, especially during human history, shows there have been ups and downs. But the last ten thousand years have been relatively stable compared to now.”

Years Humans Has Beens Shows Lasts Courses Thousand Ten Evidence Climate Stable Thousand Years Human History Ups & Downs

Author:Sylvia Earle

“There's a vested interest in trying to keep people smoking cigarettes.”

People Trying Interest Smoking Cigarette Vested Interests Smoking Cigarettes

Author:Sylvia Earle

“I've put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant, and that's the only way of insuring one's immortality.”

Way Writing Century Busy Arguing Immortality Professors Puzzles Enigma Busy Life

Book:Ulysses

Source: Ulysses