---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not guaranteeing what we come up with…"
description: "\"I'm not guaranteeing what we come up with will be better for the planet. There is ethanol, for instance, which actually nets out with more pollution at..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/p-j-o-rourke-184_climate_i-m-not-guaranteeing-what-we-come-up-wit_256085.png"
---

#  I'm not guaranteeing what we come up with will be better…

![“I'm not guaranteeing what we come up with will be better for the planet. There is ethanol, for instance, which actually nets out with more pollution at greater expense, and more harm to the environment than petroleum, but we'll come up with something.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/p-j-o-rourke-184_climate_i-m-not-guaranteeing-what-we-come-up-wit_256085.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/p-j-o-rourke-184_climate_i-m-not-guaranteeing-what-we-come-up-wit_256085.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/p-j-o-rourke-184_climate_i-m-not-guaranteeing-what-we-come-up-wit_256085.png)

> “I'm not guaranteeing what we come up with will be better for the planet. There is ethanol, for instance, which actually nets out with more pollution at greater expense, and more harm to the environment than petroleum, but we'll come up with something.”

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Critiques over‑optimism about new tech, noting some alternatives may be worse than existing solutions.

**In simple terms:** New ideas can be harmful if not examined critically.

Key Takeaway

Scrutinize environmental claims before adoption.

Themes

environment technology skepticism

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

critical skeptical

When to use this quote

- energy policy
- product development
- regulatory review

Key Concepts

externalities policy innovation

Questions to Reflect On

- What criteria should we use to evaluate new environmental solutions?
- How can we balance innovation with caution?

A Different Perspective

May overlook benefits of incremental improvements to existing tech.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Better Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-planet-1658882/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Come up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-up/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environment Petroleum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment-petroleum-2535536/) [Ethanol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethanol/) [Expenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenses/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Harm Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm-environment-2021975/) [Instance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instance/) [Petroleum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/petroleum/) [Planet Ethanol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet-ethanol-2535537/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Pollution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pollution/)

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