--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instead of controlling the environment…" description: "\"Instead of controlling the environment for the benefit of the population, perhaps we should control the population to ensure the survival of our enviro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/david-attenborough-2396_benefits_instead-of-controlling-the-environment-f_1887616.jpg" --- # Instead of controlling the environment for the benefit of… ![“Instead of controlling the environment for the benefit of the population, perhaps we should control the population to ensure the survival of our environment” quote by David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/david-attenborough-2396_benefits_instead-of-controlling-the-environment-f_1887616.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/david-attenborough-2396_benefits_instead-of-controlling-the-environment-f_1887616.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/david-attenborough-2396_benefits_instead-of-controlling-the-environment-f_1887616.jpg) > “Instead of controlling the environment for the benefit of the population, perhaps we should control the population to ensure the survival of our environment” [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Instead of trying to fix the environment for humanity, we might need to limit human impact to preserve ecosystems. **In simple terms:** Control population to protect nature. Key Takeaway Reduce human footprint to save the planet. Themes environmental ethics population control conservation Mood thoughtful urgent Type philosophical activist When to use this quote - urban planning - policy making - family planning - resource management Key Concepts sustainability ecology Questions to Reflect On - What policies could balance human needs and ecological health? - Can technology replace the need for population control? A Different Perspective Ethical concerns about limiting freedoms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benefit Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit-population-2707295/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Control Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-population-338869/) [Controlling Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlling-environment-2707294/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Human population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-population/) [Our environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-environment/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Population control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population-control/) [Population Ensure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population-ensure-2707296/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Sustainable development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainable-development/) [World population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-population/) ## Related quotes > [Using his burgeoning intelligence, this most successful of all mammals has exploited the environment to produce food for an ever increasing population. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/using-his-burgeoning-intelligence-this-most-successful-of-all-mammals/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [We must speak more clearly about sexuality, contraception, about abortion, about values that control population, because the ecological crisis, in short, is the population…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/we-must-speak-more-clearly-about-sexuality-contraception-about/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [The most important benefit of population size and growth is the increase it brings to the stock of useful knowledge. Minds matter economically as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-simon/the-most-important-benefit-of-population-size-and-growth-is-the/) [Julian Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-simon/) > [Democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive it. Convenience and decency cannot survive it. As you put more and more people into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/democracy-cannot-survive-overpopulation-human-dignity-cannot-survive-2/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [My three main goals would be to reduce human population to about 100 million worldwide, destroy the industrial infrastructure and see wilderness, with it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foreman/my-three-main-goals-would-be-to-reduce-human-population-to-about-100/) [David Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foreman/) > [This planet might be able to support perhaps as many as half a billion people who could live a sustainable life in relative comfort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-pianka/this-planet-might-be-able-to-support-perhaps-as-many-as-half-a/) [Eric Pianka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-pianka/) > [“Of course, the methods for human population control are enormously controversial. 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If we do not take charge of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/the-human-population-can-no-longer-be-allowed-to-grow-in-the-same-old/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [Can a growing human population still leave space for wildlife?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/can-a-growing-human-population-still-leave-space-for-wildlife/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I have no doubt that the fundamental problem the planet faces is the enormous increase in the human population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-have-no-doubt-that-the-fundamental-problem-the-planet-faces-is-the/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [As long as there is no control of population, the population explosion will make it so easy for politicians to dominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-huxley/as-long-as-there-is-no-control-of-population-the-population-explosion/) [Laura Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-huxley/) > [Either a species learns to control its own population, or something like disease, famine, war, will take care of the issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/either-a-species-learns-to-control-its-own-population-or-something/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [You cannot control your own population by force, but it can be distracted by consumption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-cannot-control-your-own-population-by-force-but-it-can-be/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by David Attenborough > [I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-just-wish-the-world-was-twice-as-big-and-half-of-it-was-still/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I'm against this huge globalisation on the basis of economic advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-m-against-this-huge-globalisation-on-the-basis-of-economic-advantage/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [Bringing nature into the classroom can kindle a fascination and passion for the diversity of life on earth and can motivate a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/bringing-nature-into-the-classroom-can-kindle-a-fascination-and/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I don't approve of sunbathing, and it's bad for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-don-t-approve-of-sunbathing-and-it-s-bad-for-you/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I suspect that happiness is not a state but rather a transition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-suspect-that-happiness-is-not-a-state-but-rather-a-transition/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I don't like rats, but there's not much else I don't like. 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I am perfectly able to go to Australia and film within three hours of arrival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-suffer-much-less-than-many-of-my-colleagues-i-am-perfectly-able-to/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [I'm not over-fond of animals. I am merely astounded by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/i-m-not-over-fond-of-animals-i-am-merely-astounded-by-them/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [Television of course actually started in Britain in 1936, and it was a monopoly, and there was only one broadcaster and it operated on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/television-of-course-actually-started-in-britain-in-1936-and-it-was-a/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [It's extraordinary how self-obsessed human beings are. 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