--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...probably the single-most concrete and…" description: "\"...probably the single-most concrete and substantive thing an American, young American, could do to lower our carbon footprint is not turning off the l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/andrew-revkin-34684_avoidance_probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-su_682148.jpg" --- # ...probably the single-most concrete and substantive thing… ![“...probably the single-most concrete and substantive thing an American, young American, could do to lower our carbon footprint is not turning off the lights or driving a Prius, it's having fewer kids...we'll soon see a market in baby-avoidance carbon credits similar to efforts to sell CO2 credits…” quote by Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/andrew-revkin-34684_avoidance_probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-su_682148.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/andrew-revkin-34684_avoidance_probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-su_682148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/andrew-revkin-34684_avoidance_probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-su_682148.jpg) > “...probably the single-most concrete and substantive thing an American, young American, could do to lower our carbon footprint is not turning off the lights or driving a Prius, it's having fewer kids...we'll soon see a market in baby-avoidance carbon credits similar to efforts to sell CO2 credits for avoiding deforestation...” [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reducing population growth is presented as a major way to cut carbon emissions, suggesting a market for “baby‑avoidance” credits similar to deforestation offsets. **In simple terms:** Fewer children could lower carbon footprints, but the idea is controversial. Key Takeaway Consider demographic impacts on climate strategies. Themes environment population economics Mood thoughtful concerned Type ethical environmental. When to use this quote - family planning policies - climate mitigation strategies - carbon market design Key Concepts carbon accounting ethical tradeoffs Questions to Reflect On - What are the moral implications of incentivizing fewer births? - How effective is population control compared to other climate actions? A Different Perspective Ethical concerns about valuing human life and reproductive rights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoidance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoidance/) [Avoidance Carbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoidance-carbon-5395417/) [Avoiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) [Baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/) [Carbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carbon/) [Carbon Credits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carbon-credits-5395418/) [Carbon footprint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carbon-footprint/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Co2](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/co2/) [Concrete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concrete/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Deforestation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deforestation/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Fewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fewer/) [Footprint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/footprint/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Lower Carbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lower-carbon-1409964/) [Overpopulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overpopulation/) [Prius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prius/) [Sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sells/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [A vegan in a Hummer has a lighter carbon footprint than a beef eater in a Prius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/a-vegan-in-a-hummer-has-a-lighter-carbon-footprint-than-a-beef-eater/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [In developing countries the situation could be even worse because developing countries do not have to count their emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. Private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-morgan/in-developing-countries-the-situation-could-be-even-worse-because/) [Jennifer Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-morgan/) > [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [There's no miracle formula but we have to move towards a lower carbon economy. We don't have any other choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/there-s-no-miracle-formula-but-we-have-to-move-towards-a-lower-carbon/) [Albert II, Prince of Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/) > [“A carbon tax forces you to take into account the climate disbenefits that your purchase is responsible for, so you can weigh these against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/a-carbon-tax-forces-you-to-take-into-account-the-climate-disbenefits/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [If everybody that had two cars had a Prius instead of an SUV, we wouldn't be in the Middle East right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/if-everybody-that-had-two-cars-had-a-prius-instead-of-an-suv-we/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The first victims of poseur environmentalism will always be developing countries. In order for you to put biofuel in your Prius and feel good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/the-first-victims-of-poseur-environmentalism-will-always-be/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [For us, mind has nature for its premise, being nature's truth and for that reason its absolute prius. In this truth nature has vanished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/for-us-mind-has-nature-for-its-premise-being-nature-s-truth-and-for/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [For many ages it has been allowed by sensible men, Nihil est in intellectu quod non fuit prius in sensu: That is, There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/for-many-ages-it-has-been-allowed-by-sensible-men-nihil-est-in/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [Vegetarian is the New Prius!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-freston/vegetarian-is-the-new-prius/) [Kathy Freston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-freston/) > [If you're a progressive, if you're driving a Prius, or you're shopping green or you're looking for organic, you should probably be a semi-vegetarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bittman/if-you-re-a-progressive-if-you-re-driving-a-prius-or-you-re-shopping/) [Mark Bittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bittman/) > [Well, at least I’m not a stubborn, button-pushing, Prius-driving, chip-on-your-shoulder-holding, ‘stay-at-home-mom’-is-the-eighth-dirty-word-thinking feminazi!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/well-at-least-i-m-not-a-stubborn-button-pushing-prius-driving-chip-on/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [Faith means the fundamental response to the love that has offered itself up for me. It thus becomes clear that faith is ordered primarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/faith-means-the-fundamental-response-to-the-love-that-has-offered/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [I used to pick Priuses out of the grill of my Hummer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-dunham/i-used-to-pick-priuses-out-of-the-grill-of-my-hummer/) [Jeff Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-dunham/) > [People know I'm smart. And people know that, whether it's SNL or Jimmy Kimmel, it's a trend to take the piss out of celebrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/people-know-i-m-smart-and-people-know-that-whether-it-s-snl-or-jimmy/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) ## More by Andrew Revkin > [You never know you're in a bubble until it pops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/you-never-know-you-re-in-a-bubble-until-it-pops/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [I'm trying mostly to ask questions. And not just trying to stake out a position on something, but also trying to define the stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/i-m-trying-mostly-to-ask-questions-and-not-just-trying-to-stake-out-a/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [I can tell you many reasons why environmental stories don't get adequate attention in conventional media. Basically, environmental risks don't fit the norms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/i-can-tell-you-many-reasons-why-environmental-stories-don-t-get/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [Every time someone reads a story about the politics poisoning the global warming stuff it makes it feel like a political story, meaning it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/every-time-someone-reads-a-story-about-the-politics-poisoning-the/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [There are still people who essentially live in intellectual silos and either read Mother Jones or watch Fox News, based on their worldview. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/there-are-still-people-who-essentially-live-in-intellectual-silos-and/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [The things that happen are an earthquake, another bomb in Iraq, some big jolt on Wall Street in oil prices, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/the-things-that-happen-are-an-earthquake-another-bomb-in-iraq-some/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [Additional federal studies are under way to see if any contamination reaches taps or ground water used for drinking, but the program under which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/additional-federal-studies-are-under-way-to-see-if-any-contamination/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [We're an amazingly adaptive and resilient species. Once we put our mind to global warming, I have no doubt we'll figure a way through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/we-re-an-amazingly-adaptive-and-resilient-species-once-we-put-our/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [When I wrote a long story about the retreat of sea ice, I made clear it could go the other way for a while,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/when-i-wrote-a-long-story-about-the-retreat-of-sea-ice-i-made-clear/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [The aspects of global warming that matter most to people - how rapidly will the seas rise? Are hurricanes already getting stronger? How strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/the-aspects-of-global-warming-that-matter-most-to-people-how-rapidly/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [Scientists are also unnerved by the summer's implications for the future...proof that human activities are propelling a slide toward climate calamity...humans may have tipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/scientists-are-also-unnerved-by-the-summer-s-implications-for-the/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [The survey of more than 100 waterways downstream from treatment plants and animal feedlots in 30 states found minute amounts of dozens of antibiotics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/the-survey-of-more-than-100-waterways-downstream-from-treatment/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) > [The responsibility of the scientist or journalist is to convey the context. If you're talking about the Arctic Sea ice, you have to embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/the-responsibility-of-the-scientist-or-journalist-is-to-convey-the/) [Andrew Revkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) [Explore all 14 Andrew Revkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/) ## More Avoidance quotes > [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/) [John Whiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whiting/) > [“Collect yourself: to smother what you feel, recall to order, summon in one place; making, like Orpheus, a system against loss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-padel/collect-yourself-to-smother-what-you-feel-recall-to-order-summon-in/) [Ruth Padel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-padel/) > [All work is the avoidance of harder work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/all-work-is-the-avoidance-of-harder-work/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [“People spend entire lifetimes trying to avoid the things that have already happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-hartmann/people-spend-entire-lifetimes-trying-to-avoid-the-things-that-have/) [Silvia Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-hartmann/) > [America is not static. America is striving. And sometimes, America requires critique. Jingoism is an avoidance of realism. You can simultaneously love and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/america-is-not-static-america-is-striving-and-sometimes-america/) [Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/) > [I am not in favour of the takeover of excellent and strategically important British companies by struggling foreign firms whose actions are fuelled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/i-am-not-in-favour-of-the-takeover-of-excellent-and-strategically/) [David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/) > [Most human behavior is nothing other than the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/most-human-behavior-is-nothing-other-than-the-avoidance-of-pain-and/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [You can gain power by avoidance. You can gain power by doing certain things. You can gain much more power by meditating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-gain-power-by-avoidance-you-can-gain-power-by-doing-certain/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“If you love stress, practice avoidance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-rowe/if-you-love-stress-practice-avoidance/) [Sharon Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-rowe/) > [I've been trying to avoid my problems, and I don't know what to do. I get high, but when I come down, my problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/i-ve-been-trying-to-avoid-my-problems-and-i-don-t-know-what-to-do-i/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [All the textbooks talk about avoidance as a classic hallmark of anxiety disorder. So you need a therapist who is sympathetic and understanding but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/all-the-textbooks-talk-about-avoidance-as-a-classic-hallmark-of/) [Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/) > [I read recently in an article by G.K. Chesterton, that sex without gestation and parturition is like blowing the trumpets and waving the flags…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dora-russell/i-read-recently-in-an-article-by-g-k-chesterton-that-sex-without/) [Dora Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dora-russell/) > [Be truthful... and pay attention. I would also recommend the avoidance of credit cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/be-truthful-and-pay-attention-i-would-also-recommend-the-avoidance-of/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [“Most of us will do anything to avoid facing ourselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-daskal/most-of-us-will-do-anything-to-avoid-facing-ourselves/) [Lolly Daskal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lolly-daskal/) > [The pleasant life is not produced by continual drinking and dancing, nor sexual intercourse, nor rare dishes of sea food and other delicacies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-pleasant-life-is-not-produced-by-continual-drinking-and-dancing/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) [Browse all 290 Avoidance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoidance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...probably the single-most concrete and substantive thing an American, young American, could do to lower our carbon footprint is not turning off the lights or driving a Prius, it's having fewer kids...we'll soon see a market in baby-avoidance carbon credits similar to efforts to sell CO2 credits for avoiding deforestation...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrew Revkin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-substantive-thing-an-american/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Avoidance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-substantive-thing-an-american/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/andrew-revkin-34684_avoidance_probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-su_682148.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/andrew-revkin-34684_avoidance_probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-su_682148.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb4/andrew-revkin-34684_avoidance_probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-su_682148.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...probably the single-most concrete and substantive thing an American, young American, could do to lower…” — Andrew Revkin", "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": "Andrew Revkin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-revkin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "...probably the single-most concrete and substantive...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-substantive-thing-an-american/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-revkin/probably-the-single-most-concrete-and-substantive-thing-an-american/#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 } } ] } ```