--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is this notion that is quite…" description: "\"There is this notion that is quite popular in the environmental scene that every little bit helps, or 'Think global, act local.' I disagree with that. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/boyan-slat-8602_climate_there-is-this-notion-that-is-quite-popul_3067863.jpg" --- # There is this notion that is quite popular in the… ![“There is this notion that is quite popular in the environmental scene that every little bit helps, or 'Think global, act local.' I disagree with that. I think you have to start with how big the solution needs to be to solve the problem and then reason backward from there.” quote by Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/boyan-slat-8602_climate_there-is-this-notion-that-is-quite-popul_3067863.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/boyan-slat-8602_climate_there-is-this-notion-that-is-quite-popul_3067863.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/501/boyan-slat-8602_climate_there-is-this-notion-that-is-quite-popul_3067863.jpg) > “There is this notion that is quite popular in the environmental scene that every little bit helps, or 'Think global, act local.' I disagree with that. I think you have to start with how big the solution needs to be to solve the problem and then reason backward from there.” [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective environmental action requires large‑scale solutions, not just small local steps; start with the needed impact and work backward. **In simple terms:** Big solutions first, then work back to actions. Key Takeaway Plan big, then act locally. Themes environment action scale strategy Mood analytical pragmatic Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - policy design - community projects - business models - education campaigns Key Concepts systems thinking impact assessment Questions to Reflect On - What scale of change is realistic in your context? - How can you bridge big ideas with local actions? A Different Perspective Large solutions may be politically or financially unfeasible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big Solution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-solution-1297736/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Local Disagree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/local-disagree-5175440/) [Popular Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-environmental-5175441/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Solution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solution/) [Solution Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solution-needs-972269/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Think Global](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-global-760489/) ## Related quotes > [The best work for creative folks on the team is when the problem is big and the solution escapes everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sinofsky/the-best-work-for-creative-folks-on-the-team-is-when-the-problem-is/) [Steven Sinofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-sinofsky/) > [It's important to establish why racial inequality exists and then focus on the solution. But it needs facts over feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-jordan/it-s-important-to-establish-why-racial-inequality-exists-and-then/) [Simon Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-jordan/) > [People will often take an interesting experimental study which has been done in the world, perhaps at small scale, and then it's touted as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-mullainathan/people-will-often-take-an-interesting-experimental-study-which-has/) [Sendhil Mullainathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-mullainathan/) > [I think natural gas has been a big part of the solution if in fact we need to reduce man-generated carbon dioxide emissions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-young/i-think-natural-gas-has-been-a-big-part-of-the-solution-if-in-fact-we/) [Todd Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-young/) > [By now, it seems as if everyone has already read Thomas L. Friedman's 'The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/by-now-it-seems-as-if-everyone-has-already-read-thomas-l-friedman-s/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [“Think Global, Start Local”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleen-paratore/think-global-start-local/) [Coleen Paratore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleen-paratore/) > [I think I'm a global citizen. My parents came from China, were educated in France and emigrated to the United States. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sui/i-think-i-m-a-global-citizen-my-parents-came-from-china-were-educated/) [Anna Sui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sui/) > [I think there is a global commonality of understanding coming into being. And it is not necessarily fostered by institutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-think-there-is-a-global-commonality-of-understanding-coming-into/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I think a global season, moving it a bit towards summer, can only be a good thing from a playing and commercial point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/i-think-a-global-season-moving-it-a-bit-towards-summer-can-only-be-a/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [Think global, act local.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiana-figueres/think-global-act-local/) [Christiana Figueres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiana-figueres/) > [I think of myself as a global citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-think-of-myself-as-a-global-citizen/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“Think global; Think big! Think of planting a seed for unborn generations to taste; Think of making a shade that will provide comfort to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/think-global-think-big-think-of-planting-a-seed-for-unborn/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [We knew we had to think global and think big. Most companies that are emerging don't do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-knew-we-had-to-think-global-and-think-big-most-companies-that-are/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [There is one, and only one solution, and we have almost no time to try it. We must turn all our resources to repairing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/there-is-one-and-only-one-solution-and-we-have-almost-no-time-to-try/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [“Every problem has a solution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilas-taha/every-problem-has-a-solution/) [Lilas Taha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilas-taha/) ## More by Boyan Slat > [Musk is very inspiring to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/musk-is-very-inspiring-to-me/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) > [I think humanity can do more than one thing at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/i-think-humanity-can-do-more-than-one-thing-at-the-same-time/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) > [Whenever you start working on something, you have to go about it with the underlying assumption that this puzzle has a solution, right? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/whenever-you-start-working-on-something-you-have-to-go-about-it-with/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) > [For 60 years man has been putting plastic into the ocean. And from that day onward we're also taking it back out again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/for-60-years-man-has-been-putting-plastic-into-the-ocean-and-from/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) > [We started solely concentrating on cleaning up the Garbage Patch because we felt it was the most neglected part of the spectrum of solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/we-started-solely-concentrating-on-cleaning-up-the-garbage-patch/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) > [We use a curtain, so we don't use a net, so there's nothing sea life can get entangled with. 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That's a bigger problem than plastic, but we can't all focus on that and forget about plastic - that isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/look-at-climate-change-that-s-a-bigger-problem-than-plastic-but-we/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) [Explore all 79 Boyan Slat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) ## More Climate quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. 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I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [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/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. 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