28+ Gaylord Nelson Quotes On Climate Change, Education And Environment

Gaylord Nelson was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Wisconsin from 1963 to 1981. He is best known for organizing the first Earth Day in 1970, an event that has since become a global environmental movement. Nelson was a progressive leader who worked to protect the environment, promote civil rights, and end the war in Vietnam. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Gaylord Nelson on climate change, education, environment.

Top 10 Gaylord Nelson Quotes

1. The ultimate test of a man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.
2. The most important environmental issue is one that is rarely mentioned, and that is the lack of a conservation ethic in our culture.
3. The fate of the living planet is the most important issue facing mankind.
4. Loads of chemicals and hazardous wastes have been introduced into the atmosphere that didn't even exist in 1948. The environmental condition of the planet is far worse than it was 42 years ago.
5. Our air, water, soil, forests, oceans, rivers, lakes, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat, minerals, that is the wealth of the country.
6. There is a great need for the introduction of new values in our society, where bigger is not necessarily better, where slower can be faster, and where less can be more.
7. Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, believes that in 25 years, somewhere between 75 and 80 percent of all the species of living animals will be extinct.
8. I think the internal combustion engine will disappear from the streets of our cities in the next thirty years because transportation will be mass transportation, or probably electrical power.
9. The issues are by some geometric number - 100 or 200 or 500 - times more complicated today than we appreciated them to be when Franklin Roosevelt was around.
10. Teddy Roosevelt of course was a great outdoorsman all his life.

Gaylord Nelson Quotes About Environment

Our goal is not just an environment of clean air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all other living creatures. — Gaylord Nelson

It was truly an astonishing grassroots explosion, ... The objective was to get a nationwide demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake the political establishment out of its lethargy. — Gaylord Nelson

There is no domestic issue more important to America in the long run than the conservation and proper use of our natural resources, including fresh water, clean air, tillable soil, forests, wilderness, habitat for wildlife, minerals and recreational assets. — Gaylord Nelson

Every person has the inalienable right to a decent environment. — Gaylord Nelson

If we continue to address the issue of the environment where we live as though we're the only species that lives here, we'll create a disaster for ourselves. — Gaylord Nelson

Gaylord Nelson Famous Quotes And Sayings

The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity... that's all there is. That's the whole economy. That's where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world. — Gaylord Nelson

Reaching a general understanding that sustainability is the ultimate issue will finally bring us face-to-face with the political challenge of forging a sustainable society during the next few decades. It is a challenge we can meet if we have the leadership and the political will to do so. — Gaylord Nelson

Franklin Roosevelt was very concerned about environmental issues. — Gaylord Nelson

Trails are relatively inexpensive. A splendid national network of all kinds of trails can be established at less cost than a few hundred miles of super highway. — Gaylord Nelson

We're going to have to do a whole lot more, and give nature at least a chance to repair some of the damage we've done. — Gaylord Nelson

In the state of Wisconsin it's mandated that teachers in the social sciences and hard sciences have to start giving environmental education by the first grade, through high school. — Gaylord Nelson

The bigger the population gets, the more serious the problems become... We have to address the population issue. The United Nations, with the U.S. supporting it, took the position in Cairo in 1994 that every country was responsible for stabilizing its own population. It can be done. But in this country, it's phony to say 'I'm for the environment but not for limiting immigration.' — Gaylord Nelson

The month of April 2000 will provide an unprecedented showcase for the clean energy options available to individuals, businesses and the government, .. As tens of millions of people take action to support clean energy during Earth Month, the 'New Energy for a New Era' campaign will catapult us toward a clean and affordable energy future. — Gaylord Nelson

We must recognize that we're all part of a web of life around the world. Anytime you extinguish a species, the consequences are serious. — Gaylord Nelson

All economic activity is dependent upon that environment and its underlying resource base of forests, water, air, soil, and minerals. When the environment is finally forced to file for bankruptcy because its resource base has been polluted, degraded, dissipated, and irretrievably compromised, the economy goes into bankruptcy with it. — Gaylord Nelson

...Your company...will send drugs to all the underdeveloped countries of the world, and since they do not have any standards, we will fool them all and can make a great big profit and never tell the doctors that there is a risk.....You will meet the standards of the country in which you are advertising, not the...proper standard...I would think that you would not sleep at night....I do not think this country will not stand for it. — Gaylord Nelson

If we human beings learn to see the intricacies that bind one part of a natural system to another and then to us, we will no longer argue about the importance of wilderness protection, or over the question of saving endangered species, or how human communities must base their economic futures - not on short-term exploitation - but on long-term, sustainable development. — Gaylord Nelson

All nations are degrading and consuming their environment to a point beyond capacity. In the past 15 years in the U.S. we have added 1300 cities with populations over 100,000. When the environment is forced to file Chapter 11, the ecology collapses. Nations recover from war but not from a failed eco-system. The status of our environment is more threatening than all wars. It is forever. — Gaylord Nelson

Life Lessons by Gaylord Nelson

1. Gaylord Nelson taught us the importance of environmental protection and conservation, and the need to take action to protect the planet.
2. He also showed us the power of grassroots activism and the importance of engaging citizens in the political process.
3. His legacy reminds us of the importance of standing up for what we believe in and working towards positive change.