---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're not trying to reinvent the wheel…"
description: "\"We're not trying to reinvent the wheel; for any environmental organization to claim sole responsibility for any kind of victory is insane, because ever..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/ted-danson-6752_claims_we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-f_3105954.jpg"
---

#  We're not trying to reinvent the wheel; for any…

![“We're not trying to reinvent the wheel; for any environmental organization to claim sole responsibility for any kind of victory is insane, because everybody attacks these problems as a group.” quote by Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/ted-danson-6752_claims_we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-f_3105954.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/ted-danson-6752_claims_we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-f_3105954.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/ted-danson-6752_claims_we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-f_3105954.jpg)

> “We're not trying to reinvent the wheel; for any environmental organization to claim sole responsibility for any kind of victory is insane, because everybody attacks these problems as a group.”

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

## About This Quote

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

Collective action is essential; no single group can claim sole credit for environmental successes.

**In simple terms:** Teamwork drives environmental progress.

Key Takeaway

Embrace collaboration for impact.

Themes

environment collaboration collective responsibility

Mood

inspirational pragmatic

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- climate initiatives
- policy advocacy
- community projects
- NGO partnerships

Key Concepts

teamwork shared credit systems thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- How can groups better coordinate on environmental issues?
- What prevents organizations from sharing credit?

A Different Perspective

Individual efforts still matter but need coordination.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/)

## Related quotes

> [We have a project with Unocal here in Los Angeles, where we as an environmental organization, the oil company, and the state all get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/we-have-a-project-with-unocal-here-in-los-angeles-where-we-as-an/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [It's not Trump who is insane. It's everybody who is predisposed to hate him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-s-not-trump-who-is-insane-it-s-everybody-who-is-predisposed-to/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I grew up in Hempstead, NY, and my very first job was working for an environmental organization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/i-grew-up-in-hempstead-ny-and-my-very-first-job-was-working-for-an/)

[Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/)

> [“your final job will be to disband it, before it becomes another tired old environmental organization spouting outmoded wisdom, wasting resources, and doing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/your-final-job-will-be-to-disband-it-before-it-becomes-another-tired/)

[Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/)

> [It's hard to reinvent the wheel with a cop show. But 'Rookie Blue' has a pure emotional center that's not cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/it-s-hard-to-reinvent-the-wheel-with-a-cop-show-but-rookie-blue-has-a/)

[Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/)

> [I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I believe that clothes should make a woman feel beautiful. But sometimes it's the little things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-altuzarra/i-m-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-i-believe-that-clothes-should/)

[Joseph Altuzarra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-altuzarra/)

> [“You don't have to reinvent the wheel... just steal the hubcaps.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-p-naughton/you-don-t-have-to-reinvent-the-wheel-just-steal-the-hubcaps/)

[Michael P. Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-p-naughton/)

> [If the path has been laid down, why the successive appearance of different teachers? Why would anyone reinvent the wheel, if everything were as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/if-the-path-has-been-laid-down-why-the-successive-appearance-of/)

[Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/)

> [The most important thing is setting up these directives for yourself. Like, "I'm only going to use these three colors - go!" That's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-e-clark/the-most-important-thing-is-setting-up-these-directives-for-yourself/)

[Annie E. Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-e-clark/)

> [“The essence of business consulting Business consulting is becoming a well-liked hit everywhere in the world. Consultation providers are important to business folks since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thompson-brothers/the-essence-of-business-consulting-business-consulting-is-becoming-a/)

Thompson Brothers

> [You don't have to reinvent the wheel every day. Today you will do what you did yesterday, and tomorrow you will do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-close/you-don-t-have-to-reinvent-the-wheel-every-day-today-you-will-do-what/)

[Chuck Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-close/)

> [You can't reinvent the wheel. You've got to just take the best from all the other shows and try to make it work, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-ratner/you-can-t-reinvent-the-wheel-you-ve-got-to-just-take-the-best-from/)

[Brett Ratner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-ratner/)

> [I think that the Internet is really cool because a lot of young feminists don't feel like they have to reinvent the wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-think-that-the-internet-is-really-cool-because-a-lot-of-young/)

[Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/)

> [Don't reinvent the wheel, just realign it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-j-d-angelo/don-t-reinvent-the-wheel-just-realign-it/)

[Anthony J. D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-j-d-angelo/)

> [“Don’t Reinvent the Wheel You may feel like you’re discovering new, uncharted territory as you build your business. However, business is not new. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liesha-petrovich/don-t-reinvent-the-wheel-you-may-feel-like-you-re-discovering-new/)

[Liesha Petrovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liesha-petrovich/)

## More by Ted Danson

> [To grow up knowing you're loved is astounding. It's a huge gift to a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/to-grow-up-knowing-you-re-loved-is-astounding-it-s-a-huge-gift-to-a/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [If you actively do something, it will stop making you feel like a victim and you'll start feeling like part of the solution, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/if-you-actively-do-something-it-will-stop-making-you-feel-like-a/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [I don't think it's a matter of, do you win the game or not, it's how gracefully do you play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-don-t-think-it-s-a-matter-of-do-you-win-the-game-or-not-it-s-how/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [The environmental movement, like all political processes, reacts best to disasters. But these are very slow, very gradual disasters in the making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/the-environmental-movement-like-all-political-processes-reacts-best/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [Centuries-old habitats such as coral gardens are destroyed in an instant by bottom trawls, pulverized by weighted nets into barren plains. And global carbon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/centuries-old-habitats-such-as-coral-gardens-are-destroyed-in-an/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [The pressure isn't on my brain, but on my mouth. I realized Sam Malone said very little, he spoke in little sentences. Which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/the-pressure-isn-t-on-my-brain-but-on-my-mouth-i-realized-sam-malone/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [I became interested in ocean issues in the 1980s when I couldn't take my daughters swimming because of pollution at our local beach. Twenty-five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-became-interested-in-ocean-issues-in-the-1980s-when-i-couldn-t-take/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [I think the struggle, whenever you make a film or television movie based on a real person's life, is finding a dramatic arc that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-think-the-struggle-whenever-you-make-a-film-or-television-movie/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [I am forever grateful for 'Cheers.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-am-forever-grateful-for-cheers/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [I feel very strongly that you can't just beat people up anymore; you have to work hand in hand and find ways to compromise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-feel-very-strongly-that-you-can-t-just-beat-people-up-anymore-you/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [I was at our beautiful home in Martha's Vineyard, near Boston, sitting on the porch looking at the ocean when I got a phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-was-at-our-beautiful-home-in-martha-s-vineyard-near-boston-sitting/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [You have to be an optimist, right? You have to be critical, then you have to be an optimist. Or else you're really stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/you-have-to-be-an-optimist-right-you-have-to-be-critical-then-you/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [I am a bit of a Pollyanna - I spend most of my day happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/i-am-a-bit-of-a-pollyanna-i-spend-most-of-my-day-happy/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [Around year seven or eight, you'd kill yourself when you realized Norm had to enter and you had to come up with a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/around-year-seven-or-eight-you-d-kill-yourself-when-you-realized-norm/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

> [There should be a list of people who can and cannot clone themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/there-should-be-a-list-of-people-who-can-and-cannot-clone-themselves/)

[Ted Danson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

[Explore all 97 Ted Danson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/)

## More Claims quotes

> [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/)

[Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/)

> [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

> [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/)

[Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/)

> [We do not claim that punning is legitimate wit. Wit consists in combination of ideas, punning in combination of words only. We wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-hosmer/we-do-not-claim-that-punning-is-legitimate-wit-wit-consists-in/)

[Harriet Hosmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-hosmer/)

> [It is popular to call it a crisis of the Western world. It is in fact a crisis of the whole world. Communism, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whittaker-chambers/it-is-popular-to-call-it-a-crisis-of-the-western-world-it-is-in-fact/)

[Whittaker Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whittaker-chambers/)

> [One argument goes that recessions are good for female artists because when money flies out the window, women are allowed in the house. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/one-argument-goes-that-recessions-are-good-for-female-artists-because/)

[Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/)

> [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/)

[Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/)

> [In luggage claim at the Minneapolis airport, the guy came up to me and said, "Maybe you're wrong, maybe stories do matter." I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-luggage-claim-at-the-minneapolis-airport-the-guy-came-up-to-me-and/)

[Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/)

> [The rights essential to happiness. . . . We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings and Lord of all the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-rights-essential-to-happiness-we-claim-them-from-a-higher-source/)

[John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/)

> [Those who do not know what love is likens it to beauty Those who claim to know what love is likens it to ugliness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/those-who-do-not-know-what-love-is-likens-it-to-beauty-those-who/)

[Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/)

> [If ever my life can be of any use to you, come and claim it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/if-ever-my-life-can-be-of-any-use-to-you-come-and-claim-it/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [Religions do make claims about the universe--the same kinds of claims that scientists make, except they're usually false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religions-do-make-claims-about-the-universe-the-same-kinds-of-claims/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/how-can-i-set-free-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-the-guts-to-stand-up-alone/)

[Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/)

> [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/)

[Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/)

> [Life is so full of meaning and of purpose, so full of beauty - beneath its covering - that you will find that earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-giocondo/life-is-so-full-of-meaning-and-of-purpose-so-full-of-beauty-beneath/)

[Giovanni Giocondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-giocondo/)

Browse all 2,762 Claims quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We're not trying to reinvent the wheel; for any environmental organization to claim sole responsibility for any kind of victory is insane, because everybody attacks these problems as a group.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ted Danson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-for-any-environmental/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Claims"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-for-any-environmental/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/ted-danson-6752_claims_we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-f_3105954.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/ted-danson-6752_claims_we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-f_3105954.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/ted-danson-6752_claims_we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-f_3105954.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We're not trying to reinvent the wheel; for any environmental organization to claim sole responsibility for…” — Ted Danson",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ted Danson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-danson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We're not trying to reinvent the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-for-any-environmental/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-danson/we-re-not-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel-for-any-environmental/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
