--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not a choice between our environment…" description: "\"It's not a choice between our environment and our economy; it's a choice between prosperity and decline.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/barack-obama-17_choices_it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environmen_1860851.jpg" --- # It's not a choice between our environment and our economy… ![“It's not a choice between our environment and our economy; it's a choice between prosperity and decline.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/barack-obama-17_choices_it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environmen_1860851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/barack-obama-17_choices_it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environmen_1860851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/barack-obama-17_choices_it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environmen_1860851.jpg) > “It's not a choice between our environment and our economy; it's a choice between prosperity and decline.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic prosperity and environmental health are interdependent; neglecting one leads to decline. **In simple terms:** Prosperity and environment are linked. Key Takeaway Invest in sustainable growth. Themes environment economy policy future Mood urgent inspirational Type political motivational When to use this quote - business strategy - government policy - community planning Key Concepts Sustainable development externalities intergenerational equity Questions to Reflect On - How can you align profit with sustainability? - What policies best protect both economy and environment? A Different Perspective Balancing short-term profit with long-term health is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Our environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-environment/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) ## Related quotes > [For people like us, we do not have a choice over the environment were in. Its up to the individual as to which choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ephraim/for-people-like-us-we-do-not-have-a-choice-over-the-environment-were/) [Ephraim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ephraim/) > ['Green' issues at last are attracting serious attention, owing to critically important links between the environment and the economy, health, and our security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/green-issues-at-last-are-attracting-serious-attention-owing-to/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [We need to treat the planet as a system, and up until now, we've operated more as if the world were made of separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neri-oxman/we-need-to-treat-the-planet-as-a-system-and-up-until-now-we-ve/) [Neri Oxman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neri-oxman/) > [The message from Wal-Mart today to the rest of the business community is there need not be any conflict between the environment and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-message-from-wal-mart-today-to-the-rest-of-the-business-community/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Investing in sewer and stormwater infrastructure is a top priority for my administration, because it's good for both our environment and the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-scott/investing-in-sewer-and-stormwater-infrastructure-is-a-top-priority/) [Phil Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-scott/) > [Energy consumption matters both to our environment and our economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baldacci/energy-consumption-matters-both-to-our-environment-and-our-economy/) [John Baldacci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baldacci/) > [If we're going to make progress to protect our environment, it's critical that people on both sides of the aisle speak out about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mast/if-we-re-going-to-make-progress-to-protect-our-environment-it-s/) [Brian Mast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mast/) > [This is the kind of balance people expect: both environment and the economy - not one or the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/this-is-the-kind-of-balance-people-expect-both-environment-and-the/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [Our environment is too important to neglect and it's time for the federal government to focus on real solutions and live up to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-environment-is-too-important-to-neglect-and-it-s-time-for-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The old rules may say we can't protect our environment and promote economic growth at the same time, but in America, we've always used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-old-rules-may-say-we-can-t-protect-our-environment-and-promote/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In the 24 hours since this time yesterday, over 200,000 acres of rainforest have been destroyed in our world. Fully 13 million tons of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-hartmann/in-the-24-hours-since-this-time-yesterday-over-200-000-acres-of/) [Thom Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-hartmann/) > [By 2010 computers will disappear. They'll be so small, they'll be embedded in our clothing, in our environment. Images will be written directly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/by-2010-computers-will-disappear-they-ll-be-so-small-they-ll-be/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [I want regulation. I want to protect our environment. I want regulations for safety. I want all of the regulations that we need, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-want-regulation-i-want-to-protect-our-environment-i-want/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not a choice between our environment and our economy; it's a choice between prosperity and decline.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environment-and-our-economy-it-s-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environment-and-our-economy-it-s-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/barack-obama-17_choices_it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environmen_1860851.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/barack-obama-17_choices_it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environmen_1860851.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cf/barack-obama-17_choices_it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environmen_1860851.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's not a choice between our environment and our economy; it's a choice between prosperity and decline.” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's not a choice between our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environment-and-our-economy-it-s-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-not-a-choice-between-our-environment-and-our-economy-it-s-a/#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 } } ] } ```