--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The sunshine that strikes American roads…" description: "\"The sunshine that strikes American roads each year contains more energy than all the fossil fuels used by the entire world.\" — Denis Hayes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/denis-hayes-16094_climate_the-sunshine-that-strikes-american-roads_1163292.png" --- # The sunshine that strikes American roads each year… ![“The sunshine that strikes American roads each year contains more energy than all the fossil fuels used by the entire world.” quote by Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/denis-hayes-16094_climate_the-sunshine-that-strikes-american-roads_1163292.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/denis-hayes-16094_climate_the-sunshine-that-strikes-american-roads_1163292.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/denis-hayes-16094_climate_the-sunshine-that-strikes-american-roads_1163292.png) > “The sunshine that strikes American roads each year contains more energy than all the fossil fuels used by the entire world.” [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Solar energy on roads exceeds total global fossil fuel consumption, highlighting untapped renewable potential. **In simple terms:** Solar on roads provides more energy than all fossil fuels combined. Key Takeaway Invest in solar infrastructure to replace fossil fuels. Themes energy renewables efficiency Mood optimistic urgent Type environmental strategic When to use this quote - urban planning - energy policy - investment strategies - public education Key Concepts solar technology energy economics infrastructure development Questions to Reflect On - How can you promote solar adoption in your area? - What barriers exist for large‑scale solar projects? A Different Perspective High upfront costs may hinder adoption. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Fossil fuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fossil-fuel/) [Renewable energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renewable-energy/) [Strikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strikes/) [Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunshine/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I know that nuclear is better than fossil fuels when it comes to carbon dioxide, but nuclear energy is by no means clean. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/i-know-that-nuclear-is-better-than-fossil-fuels-when-it-comes-to/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [We're clearly coming to the end of the fossil fuel era. We have the technology to shift to renewable energy, we have the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/we-re-clearly-coming-to-the-end-of-the-fossil-fuel-era-we-have-the/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [It's time to transition beyond our fossil fuel addiction to a just economy based on green jobs, renewable energy, and local organic food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-laduke/it-s-time-to-transition-beyond-our-fossil-fuel-addiction-to-a-just/) [Winona LaDuke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-laduke/) > [Improved energy productivity and renewable energy are both available in abundance—and new policies and technologies are rapidly making them more economically competitive with fossil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-flavin/improved-energy-productivity-and-renewable-energy-are-both-available/) [Christopher Flavin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-flavin/) > [Our dependence on fossil fuels amounts to global pyromania, and the only fire extinguisher we have at our disposal is renewable energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-scheer/our-dependence-on-fossil-fuels-amounts-to-global-pyromania-and-the/) Hermann Scheer > [In reality, Republicans have long been at war with clean energy. They have ridiculed investments in solar and wind power, bashed energy-efficiency standards, attacked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/in-reality-republicans-have-long-been-at-war-with-clean-energy-they/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [If we want energy security, then we have to reduce our appetite for fossil fuels. There's no other way. Other issues may crowd the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/if-we-want-energy-security-then-we-have-to-reduce-our-appetite-for/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [This curious faith is predicated on the notion that we will soon develop unlimited new sources of energy: domestic oil fields, shale oil, gasified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/this-curious-faith-is-predicated-on-the-notion-that-we-will-soon/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Renewable energy fits well into the conservative mindset by allowing competition into the energy markets so that consumers have choice. The system as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/renewable-energy-fits-well-into-the-conservative-mindset-by-allowing/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [I think a revolution transitioning from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy - somebody's going to be the 21st-century clean-energy superpower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-a-revolution-transitioning-from-fossil-fuels-to-clean/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I think that the world is in the middle of a huge transition that we have to make to renewable energy. We have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/i-think-that-the-world-is-in-the-middle-of-a-huge-transition-that-we/) [Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/) > [While we've doubled renewable energy, it was only a tiny portion of the energy portfolio to start with. But what we did was totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/while-we-ve-doubled-renewable-energy-it-was-only-a-tiny-portion-of/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Renewable energy is far more labor-intensive than fossil fuel production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/renewable-energy-is-far-more-labor-intensive-than-fossil-fuel/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [While the agreement signed in Paris between 195 nations to combat climate change was historic and significant, it's still vague and lacks the ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-quigley/while-the-agreement-signed-in-paris-between-195-nations-to-combat/) John B. Quigley > [We don't know how to use energy or what to use it for. And we cannot restrain ourselves. Our time is characterized as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/we-don-t-know-how-to-use-energy-or-what-to-use-it-for-and-we-cannot/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More by Denis Hayes > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Environmentally, business in America in 1970 was very similar to business in China today. Even if a CEO wanted to be a responsible corporate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/environmentally-business-in-america-in-1970-was-very-similar-to/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [When we held the first Earth Day, everyone said it was a success because of the huge turnout. It was probably the largest planned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/when-we-held-the-first-earth-day-everyone-said-it-was-a-success/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Asbestos, EMFs, and CFCs have given us a degree of humility. When yesterday's "triumph of modern chemistry" turns out instead to be today's deadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/asbestos-emfs-and-cfcs-have-given-us-a-degree-of-humility-when/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Zeroes are important. A million seconds ago was last week. A billion seconds ago, Richard Nixon resigned the presidency. A trillion seconds ago was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/zeroes-are-important-a-million-seconds-ago-was-last-week-a-billion/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Make Earth Day Every Day.” While we might not always live up to this ideal, I try to keep this quote from Denis Hayes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/make-earth-day-every-day-while-we-might-not-always-live-up-to-this/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [America has the technology and resources to meet all its energy needs while safeguarding the earth's climate. The urgent question now is, 'Do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/america-has-the-technology-and-resources-to-meet-all-its-energy-needs/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [I suppose I'd characterize myself as having a faith-based optimism. My faith is parental and Darwinian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/i-suppose-i-d-characterize-myself-as-having-a-faith-based-optimism-my/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [We need a firm cap on carbon emissions from fossil fuels. No coal, oil, or gas could enter the economy until the buyer had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/we-need-a-firm-cap-on-carbon-emissions-from-fossil-fuels-no-coal-oil/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [We got everyone's attention, but we didn't solve any environmental problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/we-got-everyone-s-attention-but-we-didn-t-solve-any-environmental/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [We've made some heroic efforts, but the Earth as a whole is in worse shape today than 30 years ago, ... There's been 30…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/we-ve-made-some-heroic-efforts-but-the-earth-as-a-whole-is-in-worse/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [There are a few obvious consequences and perhaps one subtle possibility. One obvious thing is that, to stimulate the economy, President Obama has committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/there-are-a-few-obvious-consequences-and-perhaps-one-subtle/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [Sustainability requires that we demand enduring quality. Steve Strong has a slide presentation pointing out that much of Oxford was built 800 years ago.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/sustainability-requires-that-we-demand-enduring-quality-steve-strong/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [f the government is going to put money into the automobile sector, it should break up GM and Chrysler as a condition of financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/f-the-government-is-going-to-put-money-into-the-automobile-sector-it/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [With time environmental issues got much more complicated. It is pretty easy, if you know what you are doing, to stop a company from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/with-time-environmental-issues-got-much-more-complicated-it-is-pretty/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) [Explore all 41 Denis Hayes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) ## 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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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. 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