Big oil Quote by Alex Epstein
![“The difference between a healthy environment and an unhealthy environment can be summed up in one word, and it's not 'CO2' or 'climate' or 'temperature.' It's 'development.' [...] Whether you're drinking clean drinking water, listening to a thunderstorm with pleasure instead of fear, or going to…” quote by Alex Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a41/alex-epstein-37108_big-oil_the-difference-between-a-healthy-environ_3235497.jpg)
“The difference between a healthy environment and an unhealthy environment can be summed up in one word, and it's not 'CO2' or 'climate' or 'temperature.' It's 'development.' [...] Whether you're drinking clean drinking water, listening to a thunderstorm with pleasure instead of fear, or going to the Grand Canyon, you should be thanking Big Coal, Big Oil, and Big Gas.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels by Alex Epstein, 2014
He argues that development, not climate factors, defines healthy environments, praising fossil fuel benefits.
In simple terms: Development defines environment health.
Key Takeaway
Recognize development's role.
Themes
environment
development
energy policy
Mood
analytical
controversial
Type
political
environmental
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- energy consumption
- resource management
- policy debates
Key Concepts
Ecology
economics
political ideology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does development impact ecosystems?
- Can growth be sustainable?
A Different Perspective
Overlooks environmental degradation risks.
![“[The Center for Industrial Progress'] model allows us to keep conflicts of interest to an absolute minimum as we do our research and writing. As for our relationship with the fossil fuel industry, it's the same as everyone else - they pay for our ideas, we never accept money to voice theirs.” quote by Alex Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e24/alex-epstein-37108_absolutes_the-center-for-industrial-progress-model_3130143.jpg)
![“At the end of that two weeks Bernard [Leach] asked us if we would like to sit with him tending the kiln, the big oil-fired kiln that they had. He was still sitting what we call a kiln watch at that time, and he wondered if we would like to sit the watch with him and talk. So naturally this was our…” quote by Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6dd/warren-mackenzie-4654_big-oil_at-the-end-of-that-two-weeks-bernard-lea_146880.jpg)
