--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...Environmental groups are too often…" description: "\"...Environmental groups are too often alarmists. They have an awful track record, so they've lost credibility with the public.\" — Nicholas D. Kristof" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_alarmists_environmental-groups-are-too-often-alarm_1186674.png" --- # ...Environmental groups are too often alarmists. They have… ![“...Environmental groups are too often alarmists. They have an awful track record, so they've lost credibility with the public.” quote by Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_alarmists_environmental-groups-are-too-often-alarm_1186674.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_alarmists_environmental-groups-are-too-often-alarm_1186674.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_alarmists_environmental-groups-are-too-often-alarm_1186674.png) > “...Environmental groups are too often alarmists. They have an awful track record, so they've lost credibility with the public.” [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Environmental groups are labeled alarmist, damaging their credibility despite genuine concerns. **In simple terms:** Groups are seen as exaggerating, hurting trust. Key Takeaway Balance urgency with credible evidence. Themes environment credibility communication Mood cautious hopeful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - climate activism - public outreach - policy advocacy Key Concepts public policy media perception Questions to Reflect On - How can groups maintain urgency without losing trust? - What evidence strengthens their message? A Different Perspective Skepticism may ignore real threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alarmists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alarmists/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Credibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credibility/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Environmental policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental-policy/) [Track record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/track-record/) ## Related quotes > [We've got to ride the global-warming issue. Even if the theory of global warming is wrong, we will be doing the right thing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wirth/we-ve-got-to-ride-the-global-warming-issue-even-if-the-theory-of/) [Tim Wirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wirth/) > [If the U.S. wants to help people in tsunami-hit countries like Sri Lanka and Indonesia - not to mention other poor countries in Africa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/if-the-u-s-wants-to-help-people-in-tsunami-hit-countries-like-sri/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [We think the problem is out there, when the problem is really in here - who we are and how we experience the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-hempton/we-think-the-problem-is-out-there-when-the-problem-is-really-in-here/) [Gordon Hempton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-hempton/) > [People who run environmental groups and things like that, who have to listen to all kinds of nonsense and keep their tempers, are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigourney-weaver/people-who-run-environmental-groups-and-things-like-that-who-have-to/) [Sigourney Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigourney-weaver/) > [We don't think it is fair for these environmental groups to be beating up Belize over this little dam when their own countries have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-musa/we-don-t-think-it-is-fair-for-these-environmental-groups-to-be/) [Said Musa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-musa/) > [I've been a longtime supporter of all sorts of environmental groups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/i-ve-been-a-longtime-supporter-of-all-sorts-of-environmental-groups/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [“Averting the looming (pick your favorite term) catastrophe, time bomb, crisis, or emergency, requires us to hew to their worldview, one in which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bryce/averting-the-looming-pick-your-favorite-term-catastrophe-time-bomb/) [Robert Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bryce/) > [Although environmental groups sometimes raise issues in the confirmation process, environmental protection is not central to the fear-mongering of the liberal interest groups that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/although-environmental-groups-sometimes-raise-issues-in-the/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [“It's one of those showers that make you think you should write a check to several environmental groups – and maybe plant a tree.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/it-s-one-of-those-showers-that-make-you-think-you-should-write-a/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The fear for a network is the viewer gets tired of you. Not that you lost any credibility, but they get tired of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bradshaw/the-fear-for-a-network-is-the-viewer-gets-tired-of-you-not-that-you/) [Terry Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bradshaw/) > [The press lost credibility with Republicans and independents during the Obama years, setting itself up for the damage that's going to be done during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-fleischer/the-press-lost-credibility-with-republicans-and-independents-during/) [Ari Fleischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-fleischer/) > [Italian football lost credibility because of the match-fixing scandals - the best footballers didn't want to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianluca-vialli/italian-football-lost-credibility-because-of-the-match-fixing/) [Gianluca Vialli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianluca-vialli/) > [US worse off than before Saddam because US lost credibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/us-worse-off-than-before-saddam-because-us-lost-credibility/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [It's become a running joke among the public, and liberals have lost all credibility when it comes to climate science because their arguments have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-perdue/it-s-become-a-running-joke-among-the-public-and-liberals-have-lost/) [Sonny Perdue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-perdue/) > [Modi has misused institutions like the ED, Intelligence Bureau, CBI, RBI and National Statistical Commission for political gains and harassing his political opponents. Modi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-chandrababu-naidu/modi-has-misused-institutions-like-the-ed-intelligence-bureau-cbi-rbi/) [N. Chandrababu Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-chandrababu-naidu/) ## More by Nicholas D. Kristof > [Random violence is incredibly infectious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/random-violence-is-incredibly-infectious/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Our national leaders tend to try to protect the national interest as they see it. They may screw up in that, but they at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/our-national-leaders-tend-to-try-to-protect-the-national-interest-as/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [The north of the Central African Republic is now a war zone, with rival armed bands burning villages, kidnapping children, robbing travelers and killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-north-of-the-central-african-republic-is-now-a-war-zone-with/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Sometimes I wish eastern Congo could suffer an earthquake or a tsunami, so that it might finally get the attention it needs. The barbaric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/sometimes-i-wish-eastern-congo-could-suffer-an-earthquake-or-a/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Americans of faith should try as hard to save the lives of African women as the lives of unborn fetuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/americans-of-faith-should-try-as-hard-to-save-the-lives-of-african/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Palestinian militancy has accomplished nothing but increasing the misery of the Palestinian people. If Palestinians instead turned more to huge Gandhi-style nonviolence resistance campaigns,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/palestinian-militancy-has-accomplished-nothing-but-increasing-the/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [The news media's silence, particularly television news, is reprehensible. If we knew as much about Darfur as we do about Michael Jackson, we might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-news-media-s-silence-particularly-television-news-is/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [It’s time for a 21st-century abolitionist movement in the U.S and around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/it-s-time-for-a-21st-century-abolitionist-movement-in-the-u-s-and/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [The bulk of the emails tend to come after a column. I can get about 2,000 after a column.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-bulk-of-the-emails-tend-to-come-after-a-column-i-can-get-about-2/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [American airstrikes...create risks, especially if our intelligence there is rusty. The crucial step, and the one we should apply diplomatic pressure to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/american-airstrikes-create-risks-especially-if-our-intelligence-there/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Let me be clear: I'm a believer in a robust military, which is essential for backing up diplomacy. But the implication is that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/let-me-be-clear-i-m-a-believer-in-a-robust-military-which-is/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Every year 3.1 million Indian children die before the age of 5, mostly from diseases of poverty like diarrhea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/every-year-3-1-million-indian-children-die-before-the-age-of-5-mostly/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [One of the principles of journalism is you don't lie. You never lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/one-of-the-principles-of-journalism-is-you-don-t-lie-you-never-lie/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [You could perhaps better tell the story of a place by writing of a tiny village as a sort of prism into the bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/you-could-perhaps-better-tell-the-story-of-a-place-by-writing-of-a/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [All of a sudden their husband's dead and maybe a child is dead and they have absolutely nothing - and they're heading through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/all-of-a-sudden-their-husband-s-dead-and-maybe-a-child-is-dead-and/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) [Explore all 107 Nicholas D. Kristof quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) ## More Alarmists quotes > [ \[On an anarchist acquaintance:\] Everything in appearance the most alarmist aunt could wish. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/on-an-anarchist-acquaintance-everything-in-appearance-the-most/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [the English don't go in for imagination: imagination is considered to be improper if not downright alarmist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/the-english-don-t-go-in-for-imagination-imagination-is-considered-to/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [Global warming alarmists are unpatriotic racists knowingly misleading for their own ends,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-sajak/global-warming-alarmists-are-unpatriotic-racists-knowingly-misleading/) [Pat Sajak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-sajak/) > [The world has not warmed up very much since the millennium. Twelve years is a reasonable time… it (the temperature) has stayed almost constant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovelock/the-world-has-not-warmed-up-very-much-since-the-millennium-twelve/) [James Lovelock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovelock/) > [It doesn't matter what is true, it only matters what people believe is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/it-doesn-t-matter-what-is-true-it-only-matters-what-people-believe-is/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I do not think that the government, under the guise of some phony, alarmist, pseudo-scientific rhetoric, should attempt to control the evolution of consciousness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-do-not-think-that-the-government-under-the-guise-of-some-phony/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The response to my op-ed by global warming alarmists has been interesting. Former Vice President Al Gore has called me a "denier" and informs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/the-response-to-my-op-ed-by-global-warming-alarmists-has-been/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [People who have various kinds of politics for whom it is congenial for their apriority politics to say yes, things are getting much worse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lewontin/people-who-have-various-kinds-of-politics-for-whom-it-is-congenial/) [Richard Lewontin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lewontin/) > [The academic community has in it the biggest concentration of alarmists, cranks and extremists this side of the giggle house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/the-academic-community-has-in-it-the-biggest-concentration-of/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [I'm not overly alarmist about it, but I do think there are some worrying signs, like the growing accumulation of wealth by a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-m-not-overly-alarmist-about-it-but-i-do-think-there-are-some/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [We have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we may have. Each of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schneider/we-have-to-offer-up-scary-scenarios-make-simplified-dramatic/) [Stephen Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schneider/) > [I would take even money that England will not exist in the year 2000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/i-would-take-even-money-that-england-will-not-exist-in-the-year-2000/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) > [The climate stubbornly refuses to co-operate with computer models and the writers of alarmist popular articles and books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-plimer/the-climate-stubbornly-refuses-to-co-operate-with-computer-models-and/) [Ian Plimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-plimer/) > [The only way to get our society to truly change is to frighten people with the possibility of a catastrophe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-botkin/the-only-way-to-get-our-society-to-truly-change-is-to-frighten-people/) [Daniel Botkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-botkin/) > [And many of the alarmists on global warming, they've got a problem cause the science doesn't back them up. And in particular, satellite data…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/and-many-of-the-alarmists-on-global-warming-they-ve-got-a-problem/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) [Browse all 39 Alarmists quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alarmists/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...Environmental groups are too often alarmists. They have an awful track record, so they've lost credibility with the public.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicholas D. 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