--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have a responsibility toward the other…" description: "\"We have a responsibility toward the other life-forms of our planet whose continued existence is threatened by the thoughtless behavior of our own human..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/jane-goodall-950_behavior_we-have-a-responsibility-toward-the-othe_3009948.jpg" --- # We have a responsibility toward the other life-forms of… ![“We have a responsibility toward the other life-forms of our planet whose continued existence is threatened by the thoughtless behavior of our own human species. . . . Environmental responsibility – for if there is no God, then, obviously, it is up to us to put things right.” quote by Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/jane-goodall-950_behavior_we-have-a-responsibility-toward-the-othe_3009948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/jane-goodall-950_behavior_we-have-a-responsibility-toward-the-othe_3009948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/jane-goodall-950_behavior_we-have-a-responsibility-toward-the-othe_3009948.jpg) > “We have a responsibility toward the other life-forms of our planet whose continued existence is threatened by the thoughtless behavior of our own human species. . . . Environmental responsibility – for if there is no God, then, obviously, it is up to us to put things right.” [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity must take responsibility for other species, especially if no deity is assumed, making ethical stewardship a human duty. **In simple terms:** Humans must protect other life. Key Takeaway Act as stewards of Earth. Themes environmental ethics responsibility humanity Mood urgent inspirational Type activist ethical When to use this quote - policy making - community projects - education programs Key Concepts conservation philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can you contribute locally? - What motivates your environmental care? A Different Perspective Responsibility can feel overwhelming without collective action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Environmental responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental-responsibility/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [There is no god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/there-is-no-god/) ## Related quotes > [Despite one or two minority appeals our society is not outraged at man's unremitting use of the animal world. Ecologists and environmentalists may talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/despite-one-or-two-minority-appeals-our-society-is-not-outraged-at/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [You go into a community and they will vote 80 percent to 20 percent in favor of a tougher Clean Air Act, but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ruckelshaus/you-go-into-a-community-and-they-will-vote-80-percent-to-20-percent/) [William Ruckelshaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ruckelshaus/) > [“It is hard to find many better examples of values-first leadership than Ventura, California-based outdoor clothing company Patagonia. For more than 30 years, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-de-haaff/it-is-hard-to-find-many-better-examples-of-values-first-leadership/) [Brian de Haaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-de-haaff/) > [A building that has great environmental responsibility is a political animal in a way because it becomes promotional of a cause. I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-predock/a-building-that-has-great-environmental-responsibility-is-a-political/) [Antoine Predock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-predock/) > [As we pursue our strategies world-wide, we accept a social and environmental responsibility as well. These responsibilities include the promotion of a sustainable economy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-smith-jr/as-we-pursue-our-strategies-world-wide-we-accept-a-social-and/) John F. Smith Jr > [“I asked Meyer what drew him to comedy, he said, “I love to make people laugh, entertain people, and try to make the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/i-asked-meyer-what-drew-him-to-comedy-he-said-i-love-to-make-people/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [More and more companies are reaching out to their suppliers and contractors to work jointly on issues of sustainability, environmental responsibility, ethics, and compliance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/more-and-more-companies-are-reaching-out-to-their-suppliers-and/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [I'm not afraid to spend money on the R&D that's really going to move us to a cleaner energy source that I think is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-murkowski/i-m-not-afraid-to-spend-money-on-the-r-d-that-s-really-going-to-move/) [Lisa Murkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-murkowski/) > [“Even in the pages of the New York Times and The New Yorker, it seems the epithet 'virtuous,' when applied to an act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/even-in-the-pages-of-the-new-york-times-and-the-new-yorker-it-seems/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [Christian people should surely have been in the vanguard of the movement for environmental responsibility, because of our doctrines of creation and stewardship. Did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/christian-people-should-surely-have-been-in-the-vanguard-of-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“Your soul is softened and ready to accept the responsibility of God's work. You will accomplish much and change many lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stefaniak/your-soul-is-softened-and-ready-to-accept-the-responsibility-of-god-s/) [Paul Stefaniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stefaniak/) > [Our responsibility is to get God's word to their ears. Only God can get the word from their ears to their heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/our-responsibility-is-to-get-god-s-word-to-their-ears-only-god-can/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [My responsibility to God is to live. That's the gift he gave me. What I do with it is up to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/my-responsibility-to-god-is-to-live-that-s-the-gift-he-gave-me-what-i/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [It's a great responsibility before God, the judge who guides us, who draws us to truth and good, and in this sense the church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/it-s-a-great-responsibility-before-god-the-judge-who-guides-us-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [I do not mean that you could continue to do this with propriety or even with safety; I merely assert that the power is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-alan-sekulow/i-do-not-mean-that-you-could-continue-to-do-this-with-propriety-or/) [Jay Alan Sekulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-alan-sekulow/) ## More by Jane Goodall > [The voice of the natural world would be, "Could you please give us space and leave us alone to get along with our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/the-voice-of-the-natural-world-would-be-could-you-please-give-us/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [What makes us human, I think, is an ability to ask questions, a consequence of our sophisticated spoken language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-makes-us-human-i-think-is-an-ability-to-ask-questions-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutan shave been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest,living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/chimpanzees-gorillas-orangutan-shave-been-living-for-hundreds-of/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [I did this book 'Harvest for Hope,' and I learned so much about food. And one thing I learned is that we have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/i-did-this-book-harvest-for-hope-and-i-learned-so-much-about-food-and/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/from-my-perspective-i-absolutely-believe-in-a-greater-spiritual-power/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [We are always talking about how we can get more environmental and humanitarian education. It is about listening to the voice of young people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/we-are-always-talking-about-how-we-can-get-more-environmental-and/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Some humans are mathematicians-others aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/some-humans-are-mathematicians-others-aren-t/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [We started off with physical evolution and got our form. Then we somehow developed language, which meant cultural evolution could race so we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/we-started-off-with-physical-evolution-and-got-our-form-then-we/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [It was both fascinating and appalling to learn that chimpanzees were capable of hostile and territorial behavior that was not unlike certain forms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/it-was-both-fascinating-and-appalling-to-learn-that-chimpanzees-were/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [I wanted to talk to the animals like Dr. Dolittle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/i-wanted-to-talk-to-the-animals-like-dr-dolittle/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Some people say, therefore, that violence and war are inevitable. I say rubbish: Our brains are fully capable of controlling instinctive behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/some-people-say-therefore-that-violence-and-war-are-inevitable-i-say/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [It's been proven by quite a few studies that plants are good for our psychological development. If you green an area, the rate of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/it-s-been-proven-by-quite-a-few-studies-that-plants-are-good-for-our/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Having respect for animals makes us better humans..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/having-respect-for-animals-makes-us-better-humans/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [If we kill off the wild, then we are killing a part of our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/if-we-kill-off-the-wild-then-we-are-killing-a-part-of-our-souls/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“We still have a long way to go. But we are moving in the right direction. If only we can overcome cruelty, to human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/we-still-have-a-long-way-to-go-but-we-are-moving-in-the-right/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) [Explore all 321 Jane Goodall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think we've told a lot of lies about human behavior through film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/i-think-we-ve-told-a-lot-of-lies-about-human-behavior-through-film/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The strongest rebellion may be expressed in quiet, undramatic behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-strongest-rebellion-may-be-expressed-in-quiet-undramatic-behavior/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have a responsibility toward the other life-forms of our planet whose continued existence is threatened by the thoughtless behavior of our own human species. . . . 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