---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Is the minor convenience of allowing the…"
description: "\"Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of expo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/david-r-brower-9665_allowing_is-the-minor-convenience-of-allowing-the_11422.jpg"
---

#  Is the minor convenience of allowing the present…

![“Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of exposing the next 20,000 generations to this lethal waste?” quote by David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/david-r-brower-9665_allowing_is-the-minor-convenience-of-allowing-the_11422.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/david-r-brower-9665_allowing_is-the-minor-convenience-of-allowing-the_11422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f39/david-r-brower-9665_allowing_is-the-minor-convenience-of-allowing-the_11422.jpg)

> “Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of exposing the next 20,000 generations to this lethal waste?”

[David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/)

## About This Quote

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

He questions whether short‑term energy convenience justifies the long‑term environmental risk to countless future generations.

**In simple terms:** Short‑term energy gains may endanger future generations.

Key Takeaway

Weigh immediate benefits against intergenerational harm.

Themes

environment sustainability ethics future generations

Mood

concerned serious

Type

ethical environmental

When to use this quote

- policy debates on fossil fuels
- evaluating new energy tech
- urban planning
- corporate sustainability reporting

Key Concepts

intergenerational justice risk assessment

Practical Applications

- Adopt life‑cycle analysis for energy projects
- Implement precautionary principle in policy

Questions to Reflect On

- What criteria should define acceptable risk for future generations?
- Can innovation reconcile convenience with safety?

A Different Perspective

Some argue that technological advances can mitigate waste, reducing the projected hazard.

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