--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is folly to think that we can destroy…" description: "\"It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity. When we save species, we're actually saving o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/joel-sartore-49756_ecosystems_it-is-folly-to-think-that-we-can-destroy_2162756.png" --- # It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and… ![“It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity. When we save species, we're actually saving ourselves.” quote by Joel Sartore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/joel-sartore-49756_ecosystems_it-is-folly-to-think-that-we-can-destroy_2162756.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/joel-sartore-49756_ecosystems_it-is-folly-to-think-that-we-can-destroy_2162756.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/joel-sartore-49756_ecosystems_it-is-folly-to-think-that-we-can-destroy_2162756.png) > “It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity. When we save species, we're actually saving ourselves.” [Joel Sartore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sartore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human well‑being is tightly linked to biodiversity; losing species harms ecosystems and ultimately humanity. **In simple terms:** Saving species protects us. Key Takeaway Preserve biodiversity for our own survival. Themes environment conservation interdependence Mood concerned hopeful Type ethical educational When to use this quote - policy making - education - community projects - business sustainability Key Concepts ecosystem services anthropocentrism Questions to Reflect On - How does protecting a single species benefit broader ecosystems? - What policies can balance development and conservation? A Different Perspective Human impact on ecosystems can be indirect and delayed, making urgency hard to convey. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ecosystems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystems/) [Extinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extinction/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Saving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The struggle to save every possible species and ecosystem from the current wave of destruction is worthwhile. One day, perhaps within our lifetimes, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/the-struggle-to-save-every-possible-species-and-ecosystem-from-the/) [George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/) > [Climate change will affect the whole of humanity, while terrorist attacks will only affect a small section of humanity. Of course, you wouldn't say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/climate-change-will-affect-the-whole-of-humanity-while-terrorist/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [Climate change will affect the whole of humanity, while terrorist attacks will only affect a small section of humanity. Of course, you wouldn't say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/climate-change-will-affect-the-whole-of-humanity-while-terrorist-2/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [“Humanity Must SAVE Tibet!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/humanity-must-save-tibet/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [The people who gave up their humanity to save their planet was always very interesting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/the-people-who-gave-up-their-humanity-to-save-their-planet-was-always/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [Nothing is more likely to destroy a species or a nation than a determination to survive at all costs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/nothing-is-more-likely-to-destroy-a-species-or-a-nation-than-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“It is a turn of events that highlights a certain human arrogance about our destructive powers. It is only hubris to imagine that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-blackwell/it-is-a-turn-of-events-that-highlights-a-certain-human-arrogance/) Andrew Blackwell > [The population of the planet is increasing at an alarming rate, and yet each day human beings manage to destroy ten species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-population-of-the-planet-is-increasing-at-an-alarming-rate-and/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The Earth suffers when her children suffer!The world must work in unity to help FREE Tibet of it's suffering from the bloodstained hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/the-earth-suffers-when-her-children-suffer-the-world-must-work-in/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [And at this moment in history, our core value happens to be the raw, aching truth of the human predicament. It may also be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/and-at-this-moment-in-history-our-core-value-happens-to-be-the-raw/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [There are times when you do have to bring animals into captivity to save a species like California Condors, or Arabian Aurochs. But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-goode/there-are-times-when-you-do-have-to-bring-animals-into-captivity-to/) [Eric Goode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-goode/) > [It's animal by animal that you save a species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/it-s-animal-by-animal-that-you-save-a-species/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [We cannot win this battle to save species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well - for we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-cannot-win-this-battle-to-save-species-and-environments-without/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [“Would you kill half the population today in order to save our species from extinction?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/would-you-kill-half-the-population-today-in-order-to-save-our-species/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“And yet there’s other species even closer to zero. I know that. And I hope to God somebody else is worrying about ’em. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/and-yet-there-s-other-species-even-closer-to-zero-i-know-that-and-i/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) ## More by Joel Sartore > [The most memorably photos are layered, in good light, and have something really ineresting going on in them. If you can get all three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-sartore/the-most-memorably-photos-are-layered-in-good-light-and-have/) [Joel Sartore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sartore/) > [Travel is the best investment you can make in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-sartore/travel-is-the-best-investment-you-can-make-in-yourself/) [Joel Sartore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sartore/) > [ \[My work as a photographer is a\] mission to document endangered species and landscapes in order to show a world worth saving. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-sartore/my-work-as-a-photographer-is-a-mission-to-document-endangered-species/) [Joel Sartore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sartore/) > [Travel is the best investment you can make in yourself. It teaches you that there are many ways to live a good, fulfilled life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-sartore/travel-is-the-best-investment-you-can-make-in-yourself-it-teaches-you/) [Joel Sartore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sartore/) > [“There's no more important mission, because it's folly to think that we can doom wildlife to oblivion and believe humans will be just fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-sartore/there-s-no-more-important-mission-because-it-s-folly-to-think-that-we/) [Joel Sartore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sartore/) > [The typical nature photograph shows a butterfly on a pretty flower. The conservation photograph shows the same thing, but with a bulldozer coming at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-sartore/the-typical-nature-photograph-shows-a-butterfly-on-a-pretty-flower/) [Joel Sartore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sartore/) [Explore all 7 Joel Sartore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sartore/) ## More Ecosystems quotes > [In many environments, take away the ants and there would be partial collapses in many of the land ecosystems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/in-many-environments-take-away-the-ants-and-there-would-be-partial/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. All of us have to share the Earth's fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/let-us-be-good-stewards-of-the-earth-we-inherited-all-of-us-have-to/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [ There are ecosystems like coral reefs \[at risk\] through ocean acidification. Those are valuable things that we should protect. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/there-are-ecosystems-like-coral-reefs-at-risk-through-ocean/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [I am passionate about making sure that we collectively and proactively preserve all of the world's most iconic coastal and oceanic wild places -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-dedina/i-am-passionate-about-making-sure-that-we-collectively-and/) Serge Dedina > [School leadership has been identified as another critical element of student success, and subsequently enough resources and training should be provided to our school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaheen-mistri/school-leadership-has-been-identified-as-another-critical-element-of/) [Shaheen Mistri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaheen-mistri/) > [Restoration ecology is experimental science, a science of love and altruism. In its attempts to reverse the processes of ecosystem degradation it runs exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/restoration-ecology-is-experimental-science-a-science-of-love-and/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [Ocean energy can contribute a great deal toward the protection or our atmosphere - without damaging marine ecosystems that are equally vital to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-krupp/ocean-energy-can-contribute-a-great-deal-toward-the-protection-or-our/) Fred Krupp > [A large animal needs a large area. If you protect that area, you're also protecting thousands of other plants and animals. You're saving all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-schaller/a-large-animal-needs-a-large-area-if-you-protect-that-area-you-re/) [George Schaller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-schaller/) > [“The marketplace has many similarities to nature's rainforest and oceanic ecosystems. Left to their own devices, the marketplace and the earth's ecosystems are self-regulating.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-ruwart/the-marketplace-has-many-similarities-to-nature-s-rainforest-and/) [Mary J. Ruwart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-ruwart/) > [The destruction of aquatic ecosystem health, and the increasing water scarcity, are in my opinion the most pressing environmental problems facing human kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maude-barlow/the-destruction-of-aquatic-ecosystem-health-and-the-increasing-water/) [Maude Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maude-barlow/) > [What I try to communicate is that there's a lot of crossover between that feeling of romantic heartbreak and this devastating feeling of knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirah/what-i-try-to-communicate-is-that-there-s-a-lot-of-crossover-between/) [Mirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirah/) > [We have reached a new milestone as a human family. With seven billion of us now inhabiting our planet, it is time to ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/we-have-reached-a-new-milestone-as-a-human-family-with-seven-billion/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [People like the robber barons assumed that the doctrine of the survival of the fittest authenticated them as deserving power. You know, "I'm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/people-like-the-robber-barons-assumed-that-the-doctrine-of-the/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I owned a 1972 Plymouth Valiant that we bought for $125. It was infested with cockroaches and geckos - it was its own little ecosystem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-eckhart/i-owned-a-1972-plymouth-valiant-that-we-bought-for-125-it-was/) [Aaron Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-eckhart/) > [The wealth of any ecosystem is its perennials. The primal herbivore-predator-disturbance-rest dance is literally the breath and pulse of the earth. Grasses recycle oxygen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/the-wealth-of-any-ecosystem-is-its-perennials-the-primal-herbivore/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) [Browse all 273 Ecosystems quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystems/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity. 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