--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We see that the environment is something…" description: "\"We see that the environment is something to exploit, because we see the environment in terms of minerals for example, or forests, or even raw materials..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/wangari-maathai-2479_activity_we-see-that-the-environment-is-something_1756726.jpg" --- # We see that the environment is something to exploit… ![“We see that the environment is something to exploit, because we see the environment in terms of minerals for example, or forests, or even raw materials that we produce on our land, or even land itself. We see it in terms of what we can exploit rather than the medium in which all of these…” quote by Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/wangari-maathai-2479_activity_we-see-that-the-environment-is-something_1756726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/wangari-maathai-2479_activity_we-see-that-the-environment-is-something_1756726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ff/wangari-maathai-2479_activity_we-see-that-the-environment-is-something_1756726.jpg) > “We see that the environment is something to exploit, because we see the environment in terms of minerals for example, or forests, or even raw materials that we produce on our land, or even land itself. We see it in terms of what we can exploit rather than the medium in which all of these activities have to take place.” [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The environment is viewed merely as a resource to be used, ignoring its role as the essential foundation for all activities. **In simple terms:** People treat nature as a tool, not a home. Key Takeaway Recognize and respect the environment as a vital platform. Themes environmentalism exploitation sustainability Mood concerned reflective Type ethical policy-oriented When to use this quote - urban planning - industrial development - agricultural policy - resource extraction Key Concepts resource management ecological ethics systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How might policies change if we see land as a living system? - What responsibilities arise from viewing nature as a platform? A Different Perspective Treating nature only as a commodity can lead to long‑term degradation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environment Exploit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment-exploit-1653542/) [Environment Terms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment-terms-1653543/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Exploit Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploit-environment-1653541/) [Exploits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploits/) [Forests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forests/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Materials Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials-produce-1652565/) [Mediums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediums/) [Minerals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minerals/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [Raw material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raw-material/) [Raw materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raw-materials/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing can come of nothing; he who has laid up no materials can produce no combinations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/nothing-can-come-of-nothing-he-who-has-laid-up-no-materials-can/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [We think that diamonds are very important, gold is very important, all these minerals are very important. 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So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/some-days-i-know-beauty-techniques-like-it-s-my-job-and-other-days-i/) [Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) > [We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/we-began-as-mineral-we-emerged-into-plant-life-and-into-the-animal/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) ## More by Wangari Maathai > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [We cannot tire or give up. 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But I think its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/as-a-scientist-i-cannot-say-we-don-t-want-to-hear-anything-about-gmos/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [When I first started, it was really an innocent response to the needs of women in rural areas. When we started planting trees to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/when-i-first-started-it-was-really-an-innocent-response-to-the-needs/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [Monsanto will not come empty-handed. Monsanto will come with a big bag of money. And because these governments are poor, when they are shown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/monsanto-will-not-come-empty-handed-monsanto-will-come-with-a-big-bag/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [Why has there been so much secrecy about AIDS? When you ask where did the virus come from, it raises a lot of flags.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/why-has-there-been-so-much-secrecy-about-aids-when-you-ask-where-did/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [I stand before you and the world humbled by this recognition and uplifted by the honour of being the 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/i-stand-before-you-and-the-world-humbled-by-this-recognition-and/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) [Explore all 164 Wangari Maathai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. 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