--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People forget: solar panels don't put…" description: "\"People forget: solar panels don't put themselves up. Wind turbines don't manufacture themselves. Businesses don't retrofit themselves to waste less ene..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c7/van-jones-984_climate_people-forget-solar-panels-don-t-put-the_2697066.jpg" --- # People forget: solar panels don't put themselves up. Wind… ![“People forget: solar panels don't put themselves up. Wind turbines don't manufacture themselves. Businesses don't retrofit themselves to waste less energy and water, nor do homes weatherize themselves.” quote by Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c7/van-jones-984_climate_people-forget-solar-panels-don-t-put-the_2697066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c7/van-jones-984_climate_people-forget-solar-panels-don-t-put-the_2697066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c7/van-jones-984_climate_people-forget-solar-panels-don-t-put-the_2697066.jpg) > “People forget: solar panels don't put themselves up. Wind turbines don't manufacture themselves. Businesses don't retrofit themselves to waste less energy and water, nor do homes weatherize themselves.” [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often assume environmental improvements happen automatically, but they require active effort and investment. **In simple terms:** Change needs action, not passivity. Key Takeaway Take initiative to reduce waste and improve efficiency. Themes environment action responsibility Mood determined urgent Type motivational call to action When to use this quote - businesses adopting green practices - homeowners weatherizing - communities installing solar - governments incentivizing renewables Key Concepts sustainability infrastructure behavior change Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take today to reduce your environmental footprint? - How can you motivate others to act? A Different Perspective Assuming others will act can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Solar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solar/) [Solar panels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solar-panels/) [Turbines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turbines/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) [Wind turbines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind-turbines/) ## Related quotes > [We seem to forget that everything that is good for the environment is a job. Solar panels don't put themselves up. Wind turbines don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/we-seem-to-forget-that-everything-that-is-good-for-the-environment-is/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [“Putting solar photovoltaics into cloudy cities is like putting wind turbines in places where there is little wind!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/putting-solar-photovoltaics-into-cloudy-cities-is-like-putting-wind/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Sunlight and wind are inherently unreliable and energy-dilute. As such, adding solar panels and wind turbines to the grid in large quantities increases the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shellenberger/sunlight-and-wind-are-inherently-unreliable-and-energy-dilute-as-such/) [Michael Shellenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shellenberger/) > [In many countries, wind turbines pose the single greatest threat to bats after habitat loss and white-nose syndrome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shellenberger/in-many-countries-wind-turbines-pose-the-single-greatest-threat-to/) [Michael Shellenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shellenberger/) > [“Wind turbines typically fail in abnormally high wind speeds, as that is when they are most stressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/wind-turbines-typically-fail-in-abnormally-high-wind-speeds-as-that/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [You can power the entire U.S. vehicle fleet with 73,000 to 145,000 five-megawatt wind turbines. That would take between one and three square kilometers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-jacobson/you-can-power-the-entire-u-s-vehicle-fleet-with-73-000-to-145-000/) [Mark Z. Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-jacobson/) > [Replacing half of the U.S. ground-transport fuels with hydrogen from wind power by 2050, for example, might require 1,400 gigawatts of advanced wind turbines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-romm/replacing-half-of-the-u-s-ground-transport-fuels-with-hydrogen-from/) [Joseph J. Romm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-romm/) > [We must not let ourselves be swept off our feet in horror at the danger of nuclear power. Nuclear power is not infinitely dangerous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-c-mackay/we-must-not-let-ourselves-be-swept-off-our-feet-in-horror-at-the/) [David J. C. MacKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-c-mackay/) > [Even if you accept the theory of man-made climate change, wind turbines are a rotten way to reduce CO2 emissions, or to improve energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-helmer/even-if-you-accept-the-theory-of-man-made-climate-change-wind/) [Roger Helmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-helmer/) > [Onshore wind turbines are visually a very considerable intrusion on any landscape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-yeo/onshore-wind-turbines-are-visually-a-very-considerable-intrusion-on/) [Tim Yeo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-yeo/) > [ The famous statue of Christ the Redeemer that overlooks Rio de Janeiro is only 130 feet tall. McGuinty's eco-idols \[Wind Turbines\] will be three… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-levant/the-famous-statue-of-christ-the-redeemer-that-overlooks-rio-de/) [Ezra Levant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-levant/) > [To power the country by building 186,000 fifty-story wind turbines - and running 19,000 miles of new transmission lines - just seems impractical and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/to-power-the-country-by-building-186-000-fifty-story-wind-turbines/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [The mountains and moors, the wild uplands, are to be staked out like vampires in the sun, their chests pierced with rows of five-hundred-foot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kingsnorth/the-mountains-and-moors-the-wild-uplands-are-to-be-staked-out-like/) [Paul Kingsnorth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kingsnorth/) > [I think we've found a better solution on North Haven and Vinalhaven: Instead of paying increasing expensive electric bills every month, with the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/i-think-we-ve-found-a-better-solution-on-north-haven-and-vinalhaven/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [Hopelessly uneconomic on any substantial scale, since it requires a conventional power back-up for when the wind stops blowing, forests of wind turbines are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lawson/hopelessly-uneconomic-on-any-substantial-scale-since-it-requires-a/) [Nigel Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lawson/) ## More by Van Jones > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-should-be-leading-the-world-in-green-and-clean-solutions-and/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ I learned more in those six months \[ in the White House\] than in the prior six years. I don't think that anybody who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-learned-more-in-those-six-months-in-the-white-house-than-in-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Most green-collar jobs are middle-skill jobs. That means they require more education that a high-school diploma, but less than a four-year degree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/most-green-collar-jobs-are-middle-skill-jobs-that-means-they-require/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] is a horrible human being, but he ain't worse than Bull Connor. Fannie Lou loved Bull Connor and beat Bull Connor because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/donald-trump-is-a-horrible-human-being-but-he-ain-t-worse-than-bull/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The government built the grid to favor one industry over others. But I don't hear any conservatives screaming about that. Folks don't understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-government-built-the-grid-to-favor-one-industry-over-others-but-i/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Keith Ellison is an organizer's organizer.He's one of the only Muslims in Congress, so you have a big statement there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/keith-ellison-is-an-organizer-s-organizer-he-s-one-of-the-only/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Everybody should be mad but anger only takes you so far. At some point, you'll have outrage fatigue and burn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/everybody-should-be-mad-but-anger-only-takes-you-so-far-at-some-point/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We have to accept that some very toxic stuff was marbled into the Trump phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/we-have-to-accept-that-some-very-toxic-stuff-was-marbled-into-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm the guy that's trying to break up that monopoly to introduce free enterprise and competition to the energy sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-the-guy-that-s-trying-to-break-up-that-monopoly-to-introduce-free/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I think that America could not become America until it dealt with the disenfranchisement of women and African Americans in the last century. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-think-that-america-could-not-become-america-until-it-dealt-with-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm learning and changing all the time, and I expect to continue doing so my entire life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-learning-and-changing-all-the-time-and-i-expect-to-continue-doing/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) [Explore all 314 Van Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## More Climate quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/) [Donald R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-r-prothero/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. 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Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) [Browse all 8,549 Climate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People forget: solar panels don't put themselves up. Wind turbines don't manufacture themselves. 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