"We are very fond of blaming the poor for destroying the environment. But often it is the powerful, including governments, that are responsible"
- Wangari Maathai
About this Quote
This quote by Wangari Maathai speaks with the tendency of people to blame the bad for environmental destruction. Maathai is suggesting that it is not constantly the bad who are accountable for ecological damage, but rather the effective, including governments. This implies that governments have the power to enact policies that can either safeguard or ruin the environment. Maathai is also suggesting that the effective have a responsibility to secure the environment, as they are the ones who have the power to do so. This quote is a reminder that the powerful have a responsibility to safeguard the environment, which blaming the poor for ecological damage is not always accurate. Maathai's quote is a call to action for federal governments to take responsibility for their actions and to protect the environment.
"When a business group tells us there is nothing wrong with the environment, naturally they may have good arguments, but we are also sceptical, because we know that they have an interest in these things"
"Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could"