Citizens Quote by Richard M. Nixon
“We must recognize that the goal of a cleaner environment will not be achieved by rhetoric or moral dedication alone. It will not be cheap or easy and the costs will have to be borne by each citizen, consumer and taxpayer. How clean is clean enough can only be answered in terms of how much we are willing to pay and how soon we seek success... It is simplistic to seek ecological perfection at the cost of bankrupting the very tax-paying enterprises which must pay for the social advances we seek.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Environmental policy address, 1972
Cleaner environments require costly, collective effort, not just idealistic rhetoric.
In simple terms: Cleanliness costs money and cooperation.
Key Takeaway
Invest and and share responsibility.
Themes
environment
economics
policy
Mood
serious
concerned
Type
policy
analytical
When to use this quote
- government budgeting
- corporate sustainability programs
- citizen lifestyle changes
Key Concepts
sustainability
public finance
collective action
Questions to Reflect On
- Are you willing to pay for greener living?
- What compromises are acceptable?
A Different Perspective
Idealism without funding fails.
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