--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Americans don't pay much attention to…" description: "\"Americans don't pay much attention to environmental issues, because they aren't sexy. I mean, cleaning up coal plants and reining in outlaw frackers is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/jeff-goodell-8272_americans_americans-don-t-pay-much-attention-to-en_2725178.png" --- # Americans don't pay much attention to environmental… ![“Americans don't pay much attention to environmental issues, because they aren't sexy. I mean, cleaning up coal plants and reining in outlaw frackers is hugely important work, but it doesn't get anybody's pulse racing.” quote by Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/jeff-goodell-8272_americans_americans-don-t-pay-much-attention-to-en_2725178.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/jeff-goodell-8272_americans_americans-don-t-pay-much-attention-to-en_2725178.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/jeff-goodell-8272_americans_americans-don-t-pay-much-attention-to-en_2725178.png) > “Americans don't pay much attention to environmental issues, because they aren't sexy. I mean, cleaning up coal plants and reining in outlaw frackers is hugely important work, but it doesn't get anybody's pulse racing.” [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Environmental issues lack public appeal despite their critical importance. **In simple terms:** Eco‑problems are ignored. Key Takeaway Make climate issues compelling. Themes environment media policy Mood urgent concerned Type journalistic advocacy When to use this quote - political activism - energy policy - media coverage Key Concepts attention economics public engagement risk perception Questions to Reflect On - How to make sustainability exciting? - What narratives attract attention? A Different Perspective Some may view environmentalism as political. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Environmental issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental-issues/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Outlaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outlaw/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Sexy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexy/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [We are committed to cleaning up the air and cleaning up the water. But we also are committed to a strong economy, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/we-are-committed-to-cleaning-up-the-air-and-cleaning-up-the-water-but/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [We spend countless hours talking about people's feelings and issues that aren't going to change anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleve-jones/we-spend-countless-hours-talking-about-people-s-feelings-and-issues/) [Cleve Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleve-jones/) > [We're dealing with old issues that aren't ours. We carry them and we pass them on to those who come after us. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/we-re-dealing-with-old-issues-that-aren-t-ours-we-carry-them-and-we/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [I like that Ben & Jerry's is willing to speak out about social and political issues that aren't always safe - but are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-greenfield/i-like-that-ben-jerry-s-is-willing-to-speak-out-about-social-and/) [Jerry Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-greenfield/) > [Although most Americans don't know it, the U.S. gets more oil from Canada than it does from the entire Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/although-most-americans-don-t-know-it-the-u-s-gets-more-oil-from/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [Americans don't learn about the world; they don't study world history, other than American history in a very one-sided fashion, and they don't study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/americans-don-t-learn-about-the-world-they-don-t-study-world-history/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Most Americans don't know how beautiful an area of the country Kentucky is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amul-thapar/most-americans-don-t-know-how-beautiful-an-area-of-the-country/) [Amul Thapar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amul-thapar/) > [Henry, this isn't about us. I mean it is, but they don't define you by the button you wear. They define you by what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-ford/henry-this-isn-t-about-us-i-mean-it-is-but-they-don-t-define-you-by/) [Jamie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-ford/) > [“Yes, we believe in God but, unlike Americans, we don't trust him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laibach/yes-we-believe-in-god-but-unlike-americans-we-don-t-trust-him/) Laibach > [Terrorists that kill Americans don't get released.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/terrorists-that-kill-americans-don-t-get-released/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Seventy-five percent of Americans don't even have passports. We don't even think about traveling beyond our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-spurlock/seventy-five-percent-of-americans-don-t-even-have-passports-we-don-t/) [Morgan Spurlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-spurlock/) > [Sometimes Americans don't quite get my sense of humor. My good ol' British sarcasm seems to go over their heads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-westwood/sometimes-americans-don-t-quite-get-my-sense-of-humor-my-good-ol/) [Lee Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-westwood/) > [The language skill in the U.S. for the most part has been awful. Many Americans don't learn any foreign language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-schwarzman/the-language-skill-in-the-u-s-for-the-most-part-has-been-awful-many/) [Stephen A. Schwarzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-schwarzman/) > [Americans don't like powerful figures who punch down, that is, who pick on someone less powerful and less able to speak for themselves than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/americans-don-t-like-powerful-figures-who-punch-down-that-is-who-pick/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## More by Jeff Goodell > [One thing you can say about nuclear power: the people who believe it is the silver bullet for America's energy problems never give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/one-thing-you-can-say-about-nuclear-power-the-people-who-believe-it/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [The biggest tab the public picks up for fossil fuels has to do with what economists call 'external costs,' like the health effects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/the-biggest-tab-the-public-picks-up-for-fossil-fuels-has-to-do-with/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [To understand how quickly we're cooking the planet, we need good data. To have good data, we need good satellites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/to-understand-how-quickly-we-re-cooking-the-planet-we-need-good-data/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [Australia is the only island continent on the planet, which means that changes caused by planet-warming pollution - warmer seas, which can drive stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/australia-is-the-only-island-continent-on-the-planet-which-means-that/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [In the world of energy politics, the sudden vanishing of the word 'coal' is a remarkable and unprecedented event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/in-the-world-of-energy-politics-the-sudden-vanishing-of-the-word-coal/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [The end of coal in Appalachia doesn't mean that America is running out of coal (there's plenty left in Wyoming). But it should end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/the-end-of-coal-in-appalachia-doesn-t-mean-that-america-is-running/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [You think the weather is weird now? Just wait. A new MIT study, just published in a peer-reviewed journal, projects that the Earth could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/you-think-the-weather-is-weird-now-just-wait-a-new-mit-study-just/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [Nowhere has the political power of coal been more obvious than in presidential campaigns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/nowhere-has-the-political-power-of-coal-been-more-obvious-than-in/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [Subsidies are hugely important; they represent America's de facto energy policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/subsidies-are-hugely-important-they-represent-america-s-de-facto/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who also happens to be the 10th richest person in America, with a personal fortune of some $18…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/new-york-city-mayor-michael-bloomberg-who-also-happens-to-be-the-10th/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [“When I asked the mayor if flood insurance rates had gone up after Sandy, he said, “Not really.” This is how disaster relief works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/when-i-asked-the-mayor-if-flood-insurance-rates-had-gone-up-after/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [In the United States, we do a pretty good job of protecting iconic landscapes and postcard views, but the ocean gets no respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/in-the-united-states-we-do-a-pretty-good-job-of-protecting-iconic/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [In the U.S. alone, weather disasters caused $50 billion in economic damages in 2010.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/in-the-u-s-alone-weather-disasters-caused-50-billion-in-economic/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [Among all the tests President Obama faced in his first term, his biggest failure was climate change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/among-all-the-tests-president-obama-faced-in-his-first-term-his/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [President Obama is in no danger of being judged by history as an eco-radical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/president-obama-is-in-no-danger-of-being-judged-by-history-as-an-eco/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) [Explore all 82 Jeff Goodell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) ## More Americans quotes > [“People – Americans, mostly – realise how attached they are to material comforts when they arrive in India.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-william-roberts/people-americans-mostly-realise-how-attached-they-are-to-material/) Paul William Roberts > [Music has an intrinsic value that touches Americans - they love their music, and want more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-rosen/music-has-an-intrinsic-value-that-touches-americans-they-love-their/) [Hilary Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-rosen/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Just because the Americans are so good at rattling out accessible and cheap junk food, nobody looks twice when it comes to their food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/just-because-the-americans-are-so-good-at-rattling-out-accessible-and/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [My parents don't care what Americans think of us; we just care what the other Indian people in our community think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshu-suri/my-parents-don-t-care-what-americans-think-of-us-we-just-care-what/) [Himanshu Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshu-suri/) > [When Americans, who have no idea who I am, laugh at my jokes, it's exactly the same if someone loves you even if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-elmaleh/when-americans-who-have-no-idea-who-i-am-laugh-at-my-jokes-it-s/) [Gad Elmaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-elmaleh/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We Americans tend to be a prodigal lot. We are as careless with our personal resources as we are with the resources of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crook-de-camp/we-americans-tend-to-be-a-prodigal-lot-we-are-as-careless-with-our/) [Catherine Crook de Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crook-de-camp/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [The Americans say that we are ungrateful-but I ask them for heaven's sake, what should we be grateful to them for-for murdering our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/the-americans-say-that-we-are-ungrateful-but-i-ask-them-for-heaven-s/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [So many Korean Americans like me came to this country with the hope of achieving their own American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/so-many-korean-americans-like-me-came-to-this-country-with-the-hope/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [You are Americans. You love this country. Together we are entrusted with the principles that represent mankind's greatest political and social achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsongas/you-are-americans-you-love-this-country-together-we-are-entrusted/) [Paul Tsongas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tsongas/) [Browse all 1,536 Americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Americans don't pay much attention to environmental issues, because they aren't sexy. 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