Avoided Quote by Barry Commoner
“Because the global ecosystem is a connected whole, in which nothing can be gained or lost and which is not subject to over-all improvement, anything extracted from it by human effort must be replaced. Payment of this price cannot be avoided; it can only be delayed. The present environmental crisis is a warning that we have delayed nearly too long.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Closing Circle, Barry Commoner, 1971
Human activity extracts resources without immediate replacement, causing delayed ecological debt that leads to crisis.
In simple terms: Extracting resources creates an unavoidable ecological debt.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and repay ecological costs promptly.
Themes
environment
sustainability
interdependence
economics
ethics
Mood
concerned
urgent
reflective
Type
warning
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- policy making
- business strategy
- personal consumption
- urban planning
- education
Key Concepts
systems ecology
externalities
resource depletion
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies internalize ecological costs?
- What policies can enforce timely resource replacement?
A Different Perspective
Ignoring long‑term ecological costs leads to irreversible damage.
