--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The choice to 'do nothing' in response to…" description: "\"The choice to 'do nothing' in response to the mounting evidence is actually a choice to continue and even accelerate the reckless environmental destruc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/al-gore-609_accelerate_the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to_3005948.jpg" --- # The choice to 'do nothing' in response to the mounting… ![“The choice to 'do nothing' in response to the mounting evidence is actually a choice to continue and even accelerate the reckless environmental destruction that is creating the catastrophe at hand.” quote by Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/al-gore-609_accelerate_the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to_3005948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/al-gore-609_accelerate_the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to_3005948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/al-gore-609_accelerate_the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to_3005948.jpg) > “The choice to 'do nothing' in response to the mounting evidence is actually a choice to continue and even accelerate the reckless environmental destruction that is creating the catastrophe at hand.” [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing inaction amid clear evidence perpetuates and worsens environmental damage, leading to disaster. **In simple terms:** Doing nothing speeds up ecological harm. Key Takeaway Act now to halt destruction. Themes environment responsibility action policy climate change Mood urgent concerned determined Type call to action ethical political When to use this quote - policy making - community activism - personal lifestyle changes - business sustainability Key Concepts externalities tragedy of the commons moral hazard Questions to Reflect On - What concrete step can you take today to reduce your carbon footprint? - How can collective pressure influence policy? A Different Perspective Inaction may stem from fear or lack of resources, limiting impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catastrophe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catastrophe/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Environmental destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental-destruction/) [Reckless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reckless/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [We are close to a time when all of humankind will envision a global agenda that encompasses a kind of Global Marshall Plan to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/we-are-close-to-a-time-when-all-of-humankind-will-envision-a-global/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Adopting a central organizing principle means embarking on an all-out effort to use every policy and program, every law and institution, to halt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/adopting-a-central-organizing-principle-means-embarking-on-an-all-out/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There comes a time when the pain of continuing exceeds the pain of stopping. At that moment, a threshold is crossed. What seemed unthinkable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/there-comes-a-time-when-the-pain-of-continuing-exceeds-the-pain-of/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [The system continually has to make this choice: it can either continue to exploit a known process and make it more productive, or it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/the-system-continually-has-to-make-this-choice-it-can-either-continue/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Single is my choice, and I will continue to be till I meet someone that deserves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonnamakeurdayhappy/single-is-my-choice-and-i-will-continue-to-be-till-i-meet-someone/) Gonnamakeurdayhappy > [I'm single by choice, and I will continue to be till I meet someone that deserves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-single-by-choice-and-i-will-continue-to-be-till-i-meet-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My main argument is that environmental destruction comes when people externalise their costs and pass them on to future generations. That is obviously something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/my-main-argument-is-that-environmental-destruction-comes-when-people/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [The same mentality that leads to environmental despoliation, environmental destruction, also leads to damage to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-oreskes/the-same-mentality-that-leads-to-environmental-despoliation/) [Naomi Oreskes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-oreskes/) > [Real change will only happen when we fall in love with our planet. Only love can show us how to live in harmony with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-vaughan-lee/real-change-will-only-happen-when-we-fall-in-love-with-our-planet/) [Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-vaughan-lee/) > [No amount of outer technology, no amount of computers and biotechnology and nanotechnology is going to stop the continuation of warfare and racism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/no-amount-of-outer-technology-no-amount-of-computers-and/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Even if, personally, I'm in a place of contentment or solidity, I feel like it's hard not to look out into American culture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/even-if-personally-i-m-in-a-place-of-contentment-or-solidity-i-feel/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [“REVIEW: Like a master artisan, Weisberger weaves together threads of anthropology, botany, ecology and psychology in an inspiring tapestry of ideas sure to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathon-miller-weisberger/review-like-a-master-artisan-weisberger-weaves-together-threads-of/) [Jonathon Miller Weisberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathon-miller-weisberger/) > [Humans are selfish, and because of our innate selfishness, I'm very confident that we can overcome any amount of environmental destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/humans-are-selfish-and-because-of-our-innate-selfishness-i-m-very/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Our culture is not unacquainted with the idea of food as a spiritually loaded commodity. We're just particular about which spiritual arguments we'll accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/our-culture-is-not-unacquainted-with-the-idea-of-food-as-a/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“I understood intersectionality—the way that white supremacy props up patriarchy props up poverty props up environmental destruction props up white supremacy again—on a gut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-tobia/i-understood-intersectionality-the-way-that-white-supremacy-props-up/) Jacob Tobia ## More by Al Gore > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Mother Nature does not do bailouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/mother-nature-does-not-do-bailouts/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-climate-crisis-is-not-a-political-issue-it-is-a-moral-and/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I decided to pick the diet that I thought would maximize my chances of long-term survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-decided-to-pick-the-diet-that-i-thought-would-maximize-my-chances/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [You know there's an old african proverb that i made up: "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/you-know-there-s-an-old-african-proverb-that-i-made-up-if-you-want-to/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [One tragic example of the loss of forests and then water is found in Ethiopia. The amount of its forested land has decreased from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/one-tragic-example-of-the-loss-of-forests-and-then-water-is-found-in/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The ten hottest years in the atmospheric record, going back only 160 years, have been in the last eleven years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-ten-hottest-years-in-the-atmospheric-record-going-back-only-160/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Hey, you know what, I've gotta go on that 'Letterman' show. That show is so lame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/hey-you-know-what-i-ve-gotta-go-on-that-letterman-show-that-show-is/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [When you talk about President Trump, the cable networks turned over so many hours of prime time to him. Why? Because he was entertaining,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/when-you-talk-about-president-trump-the-cable-networks-turned-over-so/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/iraq-does-pose-a-serious-threat-to-the-stability-of-the-persian-gulf/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There are skeptics who do not come to their view because they have a source of income from carbon polluters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-skeptics-who-do-not-come-to-their-view-because-they-have-a/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Our civilization is experiencing unprecedented changes across many realms, largely due to the rapid advancement of information technology. The ability to code and understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/our-civilization-is-experiencing-unprecedented-changes-across-many/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There are many who would much prefer that the word 'climate' never be mentioned and that the issue be eliminated from our national conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-many-who-would-much-prefer-that-the-word-climate-never-be/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [As many know, the Chinese expression for "crisis" consists of two characters side by side. The first is the symbol for "danger," the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/as-many-know-the-chinese-expression-for-crisis-consists-of-two/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I think George W. Bush has a warm, engaging personality. But, you know, the presidency is more than just a popularity contest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-think-george-w-bush-has-a-warm-engaging-personality-but-you-know/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) [Explore all 447 Al Gore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) ## More Accelerate quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) Victor J. 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At ground control the radar altimeters also have stopped-on readings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kittinger/an-hour-and-thirty-one-minutes-after-launch-my-pressure-altimeter/) Joseph Kittinger > [Imagine we could accelerate continuously at 1 g-what we're comfortable with on good old terra firma-to the midpoint of our voyage, and decelerate continuously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/imagine-we-could-accelerate-continuously-at-1-g-what-we-re/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Concentration of wealth yields concentration of political power. And concentration of political power gives rise to legislation that increases and accelerates the cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/concentration-of-wealth-yields-concentration-of-political-power-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [As IT enters the mobile-cloud era, IT providers need to be more innovative about addressing customers' fast changing needs. Over the past two years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/as-it-enters-the-mobile-cloud-era-it-providers-need-to-be-more/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) > [The Egyptian experience suggests that social media can greatly accelerate the death of already dying authoritarian regimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/the-egyptian-experience-suggests-that-social-media-can-greatly/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [I really think that technology has the greatest potential to accelerate happiness of most things in the world. The companies that will ultimately do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-really-think-that-technology-has-the-greatest-potential-to/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [It was the Obama administration that cut a faux deal with the Iranians that will not disarm Iran of its nuclear capabilities, and will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/it-was-the-obama-administration-that-cut-a-faux-deal-with-the/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [I see Maradona every time he grabs the ball and accelerates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/i-see-maradona-every-time-he-grabs-the-ball-and-accelerates/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [Were it possible so to accelerate the intercourse between every part of the globe that all its inhabitants could be united under the superintending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/were-it-possible-so-to-accelerate-the-intercourse-between-every-part/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satya-nadella/the-opportunity-ahead-for-microsoft-is-vast-but-to-seize-it-we-must/) [Satya Nadella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satya-nadella/) > [When you consider that a steelworker who's making $40,000 a year has virtually the same tax burden as someone who's making $400,000 a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/when-you-consider-that-a-steelworker-who-s-making-40-000-a-year-has/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [When we deal in generalities, we shall never succeed. When we deal in specifics, we shall rarely have a failure. When performance is measured,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/when-we-deal-in-generalities-we-shall-never-succeed-when-we-deal-in/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) Browse all 191 Accelerate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The choice to 'do nothing' in response to the mounting evidence is actually a choice to continue and even accelerate the reckless environmental destruction that is creating the catastrophe at hand.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Al Gore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to-the-mounting-evidence-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accelerate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to-the-mounting-evidence-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/al-gore-609_accelerate_the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to_3005948.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/al-gore-609_accelerate_the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to_3005948.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/al-gore-609_accelerate_the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to_3005948.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The choice to 'do nothing' in response to the mounting evidence is actually a choice to continue and even…” — Al Gore", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Al Gore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The choice to 'do nothing' in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to-the-mounting-evidence-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-choice-to-do-nothing-in-response-to-the-mounting-evidence-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```