--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think there was something that made us…" description: "\"I think there was something that made us not pay attention to climate change. Something that was up there. There was a saying when we were trying to pa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/robert-redford-1707_attention_i-think-there-was-something-that-made-us_2699128.jpg" --- # I think there was something that made us not pay attention… ![“I think there was something that made us not pay attention to climate change. Something that was up there. There was a saying when we were trying to pay attention to the environment that people used this phrase NIMBY - not in my back yard. People were saying, ‘I don’t care, it is not in my back…” quote by Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/robert-redford-1707_attention_i-think-there-was-something-that-made-us_2699128.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/robert-redford-1707_attention_i-think-there-was-something-that-made-us_2699128.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98d/robert-redford-1707_attention_i-think-there-was-something-that-made-us_2699128.jpg) > “I think there was something that made us not pay attention to climate change. Something that was up there. There was a saying when we were trying to pay attention to the environment that people used this phrase NIMBY - not in my back yard. People were saying, ‘I don’t care, it is not in my back yard.’ But now it’s in everyone’s back yard.” [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes the shift from ignoring climate change to recognizing it as a universal threat, critiquing the NIMBY mindset. **In simple terms:** People now see climate change affects everyone. Key Takeaway Acknowledge shared responsibility for the environment. Themes environment climate responsibility Mood reflective urgent Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - community projects - education campaigns Key Concepts NIMBY collective action Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take locally? - How can you influence others to care? A Different Perspective Changing attitudes can be slow and face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [We need to think less NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard), and more SWIMBY (Something Wonderful In My Back Yard)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-hopkins/we-need-to-think-less-nimby-not-in-my-back-yard-and-more-swimby/) [Rob Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-hopkins/) > [Preservation of the environment, promotion of sustainable development and particular attention to climate change are matters of grave concern for the entire human family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/preservation-of-the-environment-promotion-of-sustainable-development-2/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Environmentalism is not about the environment. It is about people. It is about a vision for a better life-for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-beavan/environmentalism-is-not-about-the-environment-it-is-about-people-it/) [Colin Beavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-beavan/) > [Just as with other great words, the word environment means different things. You might say that a cave woman twenty thousand years ago sweeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/just-as-with-other-great-words-the-word-environment-means-different/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [The people that hunt are the guys that really vehemently protect the environment. You find that people that live on ranches tend to want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/the-people-that-hunt-are-the-guys-that-really-vehemently-protect-the/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [You're always defined in relation to the environment that you're in and to the people that you're around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-alban/you-re-always-defined-in-relation-to-the-environment-that-you-re-in/) [Carlo Alban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-alban/) > [That area environmentally is a waste. You can't do anything. I don't care if the Sierra Club goes out there. It is fully polluted!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-daley/that-area-environmentally-is-a-waste-you-can-t-do-anything-i-don-t/) [Richard M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-daley/) > [We actually all care about the environment, and most people believe in climate change and believe that mankind has something to do with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/we-actually-all-care-about-the-environment-and-most-people-believe-in/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [We must pay close attention to those with another imagination: an imagination outside of capitalism, as well as communism. We will soon have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/we-must-pay-close-attention-to-those-with-another-imagination-an/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [There are various art forms we may or may not have talent for, may or may not have time for, and we may or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/there-are-various-art-forms-we-may-or-may-not-have-talent-for-may-or/) [Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/) > [“Humans were dangerous. Animals tended to live in a sort of harmony with each other and their environment. People tried to control their environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-heaton/humans-were-dangerous-animals-tended-to-live-in-a-sort-of-harmony/) [Felicity Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-heaton/) > [Im very happy with whats happening now and how the awareness is spreading. Because 10 years ago my mind-set wasnt really normal for most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/im-very-happy-with-whats-happening-now-and-how-the-awareness-is/) [Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/) > [Our business has always been to create the structures, the environment, for people to do a variety of activities, not for us to conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bigelow/our-business-has-always-been-to-create-the-structures-the-environment/) [Robert Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bigelow/) > [I'm blessed to be in an environment where people are sincere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-m-blessed-to-be-in-an-environment-where-people-are-sincere/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [My fear is that we are losing sight of how much we depend on the EPA to protect not just our environment but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-valletta/my-fear-is-that-we-are-losing-sight-of-how-much-we-depend-on-the-epa/) [Amber Valletta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-valletta/) ## More by Robert Redford > [When I became successful, I put up a caution. 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I own a car that I shouldn't be talking about because I'm an environmentalist, but the 1955 Porsche Spyder 550…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/i-ve-always-liked-speed-i-own-a-car-that-i-shouldn-t-be-talking-about/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [The way you really find out about the performer's seriousness about the cause is how long they stay with it when the spotlight gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/the-way-you-really-find-out-about-the-performer-s-seriousness-about/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [Usually I like to improvise. Sometimes, depending on the nature of the piece, I like to improvise because I think it brings a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/usually-i-like-to-improvise-sometimes-depending-on-the-nature-of-the/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [Because, you know, you're in Utah. 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