--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can just as easily have an economy…" description: "\"We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/paul-hawken-3831_assets_we-can-just-as-easily-have-an-economy-th_983969.jpg" --- # We can just as easily have an economy that is based on… ![“We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future. One is called restoration and the other exploitation. And whenever we exploit the earth we exploit people and cause untold…” quote by Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/paul-hawken-3831_assets_we-can-just-as-easily-have-an-economy-th_983969.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/paul-hawken-3831_assets_we-can-just-as-easily-have-an-economy-th_983969.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41c/paul-hawken-3831_assets_we-can-just-as-easily-have-an-economy-th_983969.jpg) > “We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future. One is called restoration and the other exploitation. And whenever we exploit the earth we exploit people and cause untold suffering. Working for the earth is not a way to get rich, it is a way to be rich.” [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sustainable economy should invest in healing and restoring the planet, not exploiting it for short‑term profit. **In simple terms:** Heal the planet instead of exploiting it. Key Takeaway Prioritize restoration over extraction. Themes sustainability economics environment ethics Mood hopeful determined Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - business strategy - policy making - community projects - investment decisions Key Concepts Regeneration circular economy intergenerational equity Questions to Reflect On - How can you shift your work toward restoration? - What incentives would make sustainable choices profitable? A Different Perspective Restoration may be slower and less immediately profitable than exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assets/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Exploit Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploit-earth-1971511/) [Exploit People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploit-people-593116/) [Exploitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploitation/) [Exploits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploits/) [Get rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-rich/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Healing Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing-future-1971512/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Restoration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restoration/) [Restoration Exploitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restoration-exploitation-1971513/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Sustainability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainability/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Going to places like Honduras, Nicaragua, and various African countries you get to see very clearly what the cause and effect is. We finance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/going-to-places-like-honduras-nicaragua-and-various-african-countries/) [Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/) > [They're not leading our people toward any kind of independence, but they're using their positions and their education and their talent to exploit our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/they-re-not-leading-our-people-toward-any-kind-of-independence-but/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Increasing in population exploit our earth decreasing population brings bright future to our earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shugash/increasing-in-population-exploit-our-earth-decreasing-population/) [Shugash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shugash/) > [The ultimate credo of capitalism is to exploit people. 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