---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we are going to start calling…"
description: "\"“If we are going to start calling industrial corn sustainable, then we might as well say that petroleum is a renewable resource if you're willing to wa..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/catherine-friend-84012_food_if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industr_1654023.jpg"
---

#  If we are going to start calling industrial corn…

![“If we are going to start calling industrial corn sustainable, then we might as well say that petroleum is a renewable resource if you're willing to wait long enough.” quote by Catherine Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/catherine-friend-84012_food_if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industr_1654023.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/catherine-friend-84012_food_if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industr_1654023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/catherine-friend-84012_food_if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industr_1654023.jpg)

> ““If we are going to start calling industrial corn sustainable, then we might as well say that petroleum is a renewable resource if you're willing to wait long enough.””

Catherine Friend

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Labeling industrial corn as “sustainable” is absurd; true renewability requires realistic timeframes.

**In simple terms:** Calling corn sustainable is misleading.

Key Takeaway

Demand honest sustainability claims.

Themes

environment agriculture renewables truth skepticism

Mood

skeptical analytical

Type

critical informative

When to use this quote

- product labeling
- policy regulation
- consumer education
- industry standards

Key Concepts

sustainability metrics life‑cycle analysis greenwashing

Questions to Reflect On

- What criteria define true renewable resources?
- How can consumers verify sustainability?

A Different Perspective

Sustainability claims can be vague and deceptive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Sustainability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainability/) [Willing to wait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing-to-wait/)

## Related quotes

> [Fish are a renewable resource, and one of the problems we've had is people feel obliged to catch the limit, then throw 'em in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/fish-are-a-renewable-resource-and-one-of-the-problems-we-ve-had-is/)

[Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/)

> [“He found that worry was a completely renewable resource. The more he had, the more he got.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-london/he-found-that-worry-was-a-completely-renewable-resource-the-more-he/)

[Alex London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-london/)

> [Failure: the renewable resource.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/failure-the-renewable-resource/)

[Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/)

> [“Humans - a renewable resource.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-vaughn/humans-a-renewable-resource/)

[Carrie Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-vaughn/)

> [To me, the imagination is the ultimate renewable resource.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-spooky/to-me-the-imagination-is-the-ultimate-renewable-resource/)

[DJ Spooky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-spooky/)

> [“Ignorance is a renewable resource”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thaler/ignorance-is-a-renewable-resource/)

David Thaler

> [Creativity is a renewable resource.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biz-stone/creativity-is-a-renewable-resource/)

[Biz Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biz-stone/)

> [“political will is a renewable resource”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/political-will-is-a-renewable-resource/)

[Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/)

> [Time is a non-renewable resource,once you have spend your day you can never have it back again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russyb/time-is-a-non-renewable-resource-once-you-have-spend-your-day-you-can/)

Russyb

> [“ Love is a renewable resource”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanshard-blanshard/love-is-a-renewable-resource/)

Blanshard &amp; Blanshard

> [Political will is a renewable resource, and everyone can have it in abundance if they so choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/political-will-is-a-renewable-resource-and-everyone-can-have-it-in/)

[Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/)

> [I realized ceativity is a renewable resource. You never run out of good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biz-stone/i-realized-ceativity-is-a-renewable-resource-you-never-run-out-of/)

[Biz Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biz-stone/)

> [The will to act is a renewable resource.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-will-to-act-is-a-renewable-resource/)

[Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/)

> [Creativity is an infinitely renewable resource - you are not going to run out of it - so don't be afraid to use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biz-stone/creativity-is-an-infinitely-renewable-resource-you-are-not-going-to/)

[Biz Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biz-stone/)

> [Stop looking outside for help. You're sourced and fuelled and funded by a renewable resource, which is within you. It never runs out. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/stop-looking-outside-for-help-you-re-sourced-and-fuelled-and-funded/)

[Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/)

## More by Catherine Friend

> [“If I start doing more things with my hands, whether that's woodworking or gardening or knitting or baking cookies, I might fall into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-friend/if-i-start-doing-more-things-with-my-hands-whether-that-s-woodworking/)

Catherine Friend

> [“Would it really be so bad if you slowed your life down even a teensy bit? If you took charge of the ingredients of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-friend/would-it-really-be-so-bad-if-you-slowed-your-life-down-even-a-teensy/)

Catherine Friend

Explore all 3 Catherine Friend quotes

## 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. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/)

[Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/)

> [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/)

[Donald R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-r-prothero/)

> [Some would call me an environmentalist. 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. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [We live in a state with a wonderful climate and plenty of natural beauty, from the shores of Cumberland Island to the Chattahoochee River…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-live-in-a-state-with-a-wonderful-climate-and-plenty-of-natural/)

[Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/)

> [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/)

[Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/)

[Browse all 8,549 Climate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If we are going to start calling industrial corn sustainable, then we might as well say that petroleum is a renewable resource if you're willing to wait long enough.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Catherine Friend"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-friend/if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industrial-corn-sustainable-then-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Climate"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-friend/if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industrial-corn-sustainable-then-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/catherine-friend-84012_food_if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industr_1654023.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/catherine-friend-84012_food_if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industr_1654023.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/catherine-friend-84012_food_if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industr_1654023.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If we are going to start calling industrial corn sustainable, then we might as well say that petroleum is a…” — Catherine Friend",
                "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": "Catherine Friend",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-friend/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If we are going to start...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-friend/if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industrial-corn-sustainable-then-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-friend/if-we-are-going-to-start-calling-industrial-corn-sustainable-then-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
