Clean water Quote by Ken Ilgunas
““We can only miss what we once possessed. We can only feel wronged when we realize something has been stolen from us. We can’t miss the million-strong flocks of passenger pigeons that once blackened our skies. We don’t really miss the herds of bison that grazed in meadows where our suburbs stand. And few think of dark forests lit up with the bright green eyes of its mammalian lords. Soon, the glaciers will go with the clear skies and clean waters and all the feelings they once stirred. It’s the greatest heist of mankind, our inheritance being stolen like this. But how can we care or fight back when we don’t even know what has been or is being taken from us?””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Climate Change Reflection, Ken Ilgunas, 2022
Loss of nature goes unnoticed until it’s gone; we fail to recognize our theft of ecosystems.
In simple terms: We miss nature only after it disappears, not realizing we stole it.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and protect what remains.
Themes
environmental loss
awareness
stewardship
Mood
reflective
urgent
Type
ethical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- conservation policy
- education curricula
- personal lifestyle changes
Key Concepts
ecological grief
anthropocene
biodiversity crisis
Questions to Reflect On
- What natural element do you take for granted?
- How can you act to prevent further loss?
A Different Perspective
People may feel powerless to act against large-scale environmental damage.
![“It was strange how it was always the poor who picked us up [hitchhiking]...They dwelled beneath poverty lines and were undereducated, but they were...more civilized than the finely bred..for there is no demographic that has a sharper instinct for empathy than the downtrodden.” quote by Ken Ilgunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3c4/ken-ilgunas-26210_poverty_it-was-strange-how-it-was-always-the-poo_811885.jpg)
