Gaylord Nelson Quotes

If nature were a bank, they would have already rescued it.

Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. It has become a common cause of all the people of this country. It is a cause of particular concern to young Americans, because they more than we will reap the grim consequences of our failure to act on programs which are needed now if we are to prevent disaster later.

Reclaim our environment from those who would destroy it with their predatory economic behavior.

In the 19th century, we devoted our best minds to exploring nature. In the 20th century, we devoted ourselves to controlling and harnessing it. In the 21st century, we must devote ourselves to restoring it.

To plant trees is to give body and life to one's dreams of a better world.

The planting of trees is the least self-centered of all that we can do. It is a purer act of faith than the procreation of children.

Most of what I know about environmental conservation I learned from my father, who has been a leader within the movement for over 30 years.

There's been progress toward seeing that nature and culture are not opposing terms, and that wilderness is not the only kind of landscape for environmentalists to concern themselves with.

Reversing deforestation is complicated; planting a tree is simple.

Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.

No-one wants polluted air, water or land, denuded forests or extinct animal species. But the error most people make is to trust the legislature to prevent these tragedies. What they don’t realize is how big a role the legislature has played historically in causing environmental destruction.

Doing everything the scientists wanted us to do [to protect the environment] would be ruinous.

We can halt the destruction of the world's rainforests - and even restore parts of them - in order to ensure that the forests do what they are so good at - in other words, storing carbon naturally.

We should continue to mobilise against the destruction of the world's great habitats, and its terrifying implications. But the most persuasive argument we can make is to show we mean it, by restoring our own lost wonders.

We've been at war with nature. Now we need to apologize and clean up.

I am passionate about many things but conserving our planet and its species is a high priority of mine.

Adopting a central organizing principle means embarking on an all-out effort to use every policy and program, every law and institution, to halt the destruction of the environment.

Nature is actually resilient, if we take care to just stop actively destroying it.

I am optimistic globally. So many scientists are working frantically on the reparation of our planet. Unfortunately there are countries who are still destroying it, but we really hope the conservation message rubs off in our film. Every cent we earn from Crocodile Hunter goes straight back into conservation. Every single cent.

The great question of the seventies is, shall we surrender to our surroundings, or shall we make our peace with nature and begin to make reparations for the damage we have done to our air, to our land, and to our water?

On the last day of the world I would want to plant a tree

We have to start listening to nature now.

It is difficult to undo our own damage, and to recall to our presence that which we have asked to leave. It is hard to desecrate a grove and change your mind. The very holy mountains are keeping mum. We doused the burning bush and cannot rekindle it; we are lighting matches in vain under every green tree.

Giving up is not an option if we want to prevent irreparable harm to our planet.

Nature has been taken over by thugs who care absolutely nothing about it. We need to take nature back.