--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life and the environment are one thing…" description: "\"Life and the environment are one thing, not two, and people, as all life, are immersed in the one system. When we influence nature, we influence oursel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/daniel-botkin-56154_environment_life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-n_1985060.jpg" --- # Life and the environment are one thing, not two, and… ![“Life and the environment are one thing, not two, and people, as all life, are immersed in the one system. When we influence nature, we influence ourselves; when we change nature, we change ourselves.” quote by Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/daniel-botkin-56154_environment_life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-n_1985060.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/daniel-botkin-56154_environment_life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-n_1985060.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/daniel-botkin-56154_environment_life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-n_1985060.jpg) > “Life and the environment are one thing, not two, and people, as all life, are immersed in the one system. When we influence nature, we influence ourselves; when we change nature, we change ourselves.” [Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human life and nature are inseparable; altering ecosystems directly changes human well‑being. **In simple terms:** We and nature are linked; changing one changes the other. Key Takeaway Treat nature as part of yourself. Themes environment interdependence holism Mood thoughtful concerned Type ethical educational When to use this quote - policy making - urban planning - personal lifestyle - education Key Concepts ecology systems theory Questions to Reflect On - How does your daily life affect the environment? - What policies reflect this interdependence? A Different Perspective Complex systems can be unpredictable, making interventions risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Change is nature, the part that we can influence, and it starts when we decide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zahid-abas/change-is-nature-the-part-that-we-can-influence-and-it-starts-when-we/) [Zahid Abas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zahid-abas/) > [“we always say that nature cannot be change, but we forget that change is the name of nature”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasnain-shakeel/we-always-say-that-nature-cannot-be-change-but-we-forget-that-change/) Hasnain Shakeel > [“Humans are a force of nature—we are, in some senses, THE force of nature—and we influence animals whether we intend to or not. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-anthes/humans-are-a-force-of-nature-we-are-in-some-senses-the-force-of/) [Emily Anthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-anthes/) > [Why should we think upon things that are lovely? Because thinking determines life. It is a common habit to blame life upon the environment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/why-should-we-think-upon-things-that-are-lovely-because-thinking/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [You can't make positive choices for the rest of your life without an environment that makes those choices easy, natural, and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-can-t-make-positive-choices-for-the-rest-of-your-life-without-an/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our view of nature will influence the way we treat nature, and our view of human nature will affect our understanding of human responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-barbour/our-view-of-nature-will-influence-the-way-we-treat-nature-and-our/) Ian Barbour > [Great design is a multi-layered relationship between human life and its environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoto-fukasawa/great-design-is-a-multi-layered-relationship-between-human-life-and/) [Naoto Fukasawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoto-fukasawa/) > [“In this image-driven age, wildlife filmmakers carry a heavy responsibility. They can influence how we think and behave when we’re in nature. They can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-palmer/in-this-image-driven-age-wildlife-filmmakers-carry-a-heavy/) Chris Palmer > [“In life there are many thing's you may not like or want but is necessary for stability and sustainability for life and its environment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymouse/in-life-there-are-many-thing-s-you-may-not-like-or-want-but-is/) Anonymouse > [In the beginning you must subject yourself to the influence of nature. You must be able to walk firmly on the ground before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/in-the-beginning-you-must-subject-yourself-to-the-influence-of-nature/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [“What we think often does more to influence the nature of our relationships than what we say or do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-grayson/what-we-think-often-does-more-to-influence-the-nature-of-our/) [Henry Grayson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-grayson/) > [The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-stars-awaken-a-certain-reverence-because-though-always-present-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-stars-awaken-a-certain-reverence-because-though-always-present-3/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Nothing is small, in fact; any one who is subject to the profound and penetrating influence of nature knows this.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nothing-is-small-in-fact-any-one-who-is-subject-to-the-profound-and/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I have to understand the nature of change. And I cannot just work with stone or the more permanent materials. I need to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-goldsworthy/i-have-to-understand-the-nature-of-change-and-i-cannot-just-work-with/) [Andy Goldsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-goldsworthy/) ## More by Daniel Botkin > [The only way to get our society to truly change is to frighten people with the possibility of a catastrophe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/the-only-way-to-get-our-society-to-truly-change-is-to-frighten-people/) [Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) > [“Life has had to deal with environmental change, especially climate change, since the beginning of its existence on Earth. Species adjust or go extinct,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/life-has-had-to-deal-with-environmental-change-especially-climate/) [Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) > [“In most congregations, the people will not rise up to work until after they first see the leadership rise up and work. Leaders lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/in-most-congregations-the-people-will-not-rise-up-to-work-until-after/) [Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) > [Life has had to deal with environmental change, especially climate change, since the beginning of its existence on Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/life-has-had-to-deal-with-environmental-change-especially-climate-2/) [Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) > [“If our repentance is not whole-hearted, if we are doing it feignedly, like Jeremiah's generation did, then our repentance will not hold back the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/if-our-repentance-is-not-whole-hearted-if-we-are-doing-it-feignedly/) [Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) [Explore all 6 Daniel Botkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) ## More Environment quotes > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [This welfare for wealthy companies wastes taxpayer dollars, harms the environment, and makes a mockery of the recent reductions in federal social spending programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/this-welfare-for-wealthy-companies-wastes-taxpayer-dollars-harms-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [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/) > [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [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/) > [They paved paradise and put up a parkin lot With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot Don't it always seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/they-paved-paradise-and-put-up-a-parkin-lot-with-a-pink-hotel-a/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Daily life is both the subject and environment of the work I am making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-henrot/daily-life-is-both-the-subject-and-environment-of-the-work-i-am-making/) [Camille Henrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-henrot/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [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/) > [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [Of course, learning is strengthened and solidified when it occurs in a safe, secure and normal environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-bertrand-aristide/of-course-learning-is-strengthened-and-solidified-when-it-occurs-in-a/) [Jean-Bertrand Aristide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-bertrand-aristide/) [Browse all 8,669 Environment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life and the environment are one thing, not two, and people, as all life, are immersed in the one system. When we influence nature, we influence ourselves; when we change nature, we change ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel Botkin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-not-two-and-people-as-all-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Environment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-not-two-and-people-as-all-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/daniel-botkin-56154_environment_life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-n_1985060.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/daniel-botkin-56154_environment_life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-n_1985060.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8b/daniel-botkin-56154_environment_life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-n_1985060.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life and the environment are one thing, not two, and people, as all life, are immersed in the one system…” — Daniel Botkin", "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": "Daniel Botkin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life and the environment are one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-not-two-and-people-as-all-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/life-and-the-environment-are-one-thing-not-two-and-people-as-all-life/#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 } } ] } ```