--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You want to cut down air pollution? Cut…" description: "\"You want to cut down air pollution? Cut down the original source... Breathin'!\" — Walt Kelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/walt-kelly-15298_air_you-want-to-cut-down-air-pollution-cut-d_3005867.png" --- # You want to cut down air pollution? Cut down the original… ![“You want to cut down air pollution? Cut down the original source... Breathin'!” quote by Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/walt-kelly-15298_air_you-want-to-cut-down-air-pollution-cut-d_3005867.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/walt-kelly-15298_air_you-want-to-cut-down-air-pollution-cut-d_3005867.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e40/walt-kelly-15298_air_you-want-to-cut-down-air-pollution-cut-d_3005867.png) > “You want to cut down air pollution? Cut down the original source... Breathin'!” [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Address root causes rather than symptoms for effective change. **In simple terms:** Fix the source to reduce pollution. Key Takeaway Target the original source of problems. Themes environment action cause and effect Mood critical pragmatic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - industrial regulation - personal habits - urban planning - legislation Key Concepts systems thinking policy change Questions to Reflect On - What is the primary source of the issue? - How can you influence that source? A Different Perspective Changing deep systems can be politically difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Air](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air/) [Air pollution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-pollution/) [Cut Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut-original-4794326/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Pollution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pollution/) [Pollution Cut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pollution-cut-2412562/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Source Breathin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source-breathin-2412563/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [Y'see, when you start to lick a national problem you have to go after the fundamentables. You want to cut down air pollution? Cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/y-see-when-you-start-to-lick-a-national-problem-you-have-to-go-after/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [My wife's biggest fear is air pollution, living in London as we do. She's convinced that's the big problem. And my own is sink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/my-wife-s-biggest-fear-is-air-pollution-living-in-london-as-we-do-she/) [Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/) > [Years of government inaction on air pollution has got people thinking that the state cannot even protect basic public goods like clean air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gardiner/years-of-government-inaction-on-air-pollution-has-got-people-thinking/) [Barry Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gardiner/) > [“Pages could be written on the immense losses of productive soil that occur annually in almost every continent of the earth; on lethal air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/pages-could-be-written-on-the-immense-losses-of-productive-soil-that/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [Many people will never be bothered by air pollution because they don't stop talking long enough to take a deep breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/many-people-will-never-be-bothered-by-air-pollution-because-they-don/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Overpopulation in the United States will become THE single greatest issue facing Americans in the 21st century. We either solve it proactively or nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frosty-wooldridge/overpopulation-in-the-united-states-will-become-the-single-greatest/) [Frosty Wooldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frosty-wooldridge/) > [Like air pollution, flood risk is a threat that government should be protecting us against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gardiner/like-air-pollution-flood-risk-is-a-threat-that-government-should-be/) [Barry Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gardiner/) > [Carpooling is important for urban density, air pollution and other reasons, but carpooling is not the kind of thing that actually changes the energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/carpooling-is-important-for-urban-density-air-pollution-and-other/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [Nowadays a lot of what was wrong with me would no doubt be ascribed to Attention Deficit Disorder, tartrazine food colouring, dairy produce and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/nowadays-a-lot-of-what-was-wrong-with-me-would-no-doubt-be-ascribed/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [For some time I watch the coming of the night? Above is the glistening galaxy of childhood, now hidden in the Western world by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/for-some-time-i-watch-the-coming-of-the-night-above-is-the-glistening/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [In my home state of Delaware, we've done our homework and worked hard and, as a result, we've made great strides in cleaning up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-home-state-of-delaware-we-ve-done-our-homework-and-worked-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You go into a community and they will vote 80 percent to 20 percent in favor of a tougher Clean Air Act, but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ruckelshaus/you-go-into-a-community-and-they-will-vote-80-percent-to-20-percent/) [William Ruckelshaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ruckelshaus/) > [Air pollution is my biggest concern right now. Maybe because I live in Beijing, and in this city we have such severe challenges due…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-bingbing/air-pollution-is-my-biggest-concern-right-now-maybe-because-i-live-in/) [Li Bingbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-bingbing/) > [Air pollution puts people at higher risks for cancer, heart disease, and premature death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/air-pollution-puts-people-at-higher-risks-for-cancer-heart-disease/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [Transportation is responsible for half of our state's air pollution, and many suffer as a result. Children are more likely to develop respiratory illnesses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-padilla/transportation-is-responsible-for-half-of-our-state-s-air-pollution/) [Alex Padilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-padilla/) ## More by Walt Kelly > [When we become negative and ungrateful, it is important to remember... We have met the enemy; and he is us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/when-we-become-negative-and-ungrateful-it-is-important-to-remember-we/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [A lump in the throat is worth two on the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/a-lump-in-the-throat-is-worth-two-on-the-head/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [Don't believe something just because you didn't read it in the papers. Wait until you haven't seen it on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/don-t-believe-something-just-because-you-didn-t-read-it-in-the-papers/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [If you wants to get elected president, you'se got to think up some memoraboble homily so's school kids can be pestered into memorizin' it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/if-you-wants-to-get-elected-president-you-se-got-to-think-up-some/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/there-is-no-need-to-sally-forth-for-it-remains-true-that-those-things/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [Now is the time for all good men to come to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/now-is-the-time-for-all-good-men-to-come-to/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [Eventually every man gotta face the problem of tryin' to figger if it's worthwhile to prove that he is himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/eventually-every-man-gotta-face-the-problem-of-tryin-to-figger-if-it/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [God is not dead-He is merely unemployed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/god-is-not-dead-he-is-merely-unemployed/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [There's no easy quick way out, we're gonna have to live through our whole lives, win, lose, or draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/there-s-no-easy-quick-way-out-we-re-gonna-have-to-live-through-our/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [“Scuse me—gotta hurry home—left the chillun on the stove.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/scuse-me-gotta-hurry-home-left-the-chillun-on-the-stove/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [A parade is the worst form of transportation known to man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/a-parade-is-the-worst-form-of-transportation-known-to-man/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [Having lost sight of our objectives, we redoubled our efforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/having-lost-sight-of-our-objectives-we-redoubled-our-efforts/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [Twenty Percent of Zero is Better than Nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/twenty-percent-of-zero-is-better-than-nothing/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [Don't take life so serious. It ain't no-hows permanent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/don-t-take-life-so-serious-it-ain-t-no-hows-permanent/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [“Don't take life so serious. It ain't nohow permanent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/don-t-take-life-so-serious-it-ain-t-nohow-permanent/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) [Explore all 43 Walt Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [There was a little nook on Air Force Two that contained the vice presidential seal, and I would sort of wedge myself in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/there-was-a-little-nook-on-air-force-two-that-contained-the-vice/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/) [Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) [Browse all 6,278 Air quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You want to cut down air pollution? Cut down the original source... 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