We are now heading down a centuries-long path toward increasing the productivity of our natural capital - the resource systems upon which we depend to live - instead of our human capital.
Paul HawkenRead
We subsidize the disposal of waste in all its myriad forms — from landfills, to Superfund cleanups, to deep-well injection, to storage of nuclear waste. In the process, we encourage an economy where 80 percent of what we consume gets thrown away after one use.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights how society financially supports waste disposal, which fosters a culture of wastefulness.
Paul Hawken's quote draws attention to the extensive financial support provided for various waste disposal methods, including landfills and nuclear waste storage. This subsidy inadvertently promotes a consumer culture that thrives on single-use products, leading to a staggering 80 percent of consumption resulting in waste post-use. It invites reflection on the sustainability of such practices and challenges us to rethink our approach to consumption and waste management.
Themes
WasteConsumptionSustainabilityEnvironmentEconomy
In practice
Example use cases
In a presentation on sustainable practices, you could use this quote to illustrate the need for waste reduction strategies.
More from Paul Hawken
All quotes →Inspiration is not garnered from the litanies of what may befall us; it resides in humanity's willingness to restore, redress, reform, rebuild, recover, reimagine, and reconsider.
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We can no longer prosper by increasing human productivity. The more we try to do, the more poverty we will create.
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At present we are stealing the future, selling it in the present, and calling it gross domestic product.
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How much harm does a company have to do before we question its right to exist?
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We have the capacity to create a remarkably different economy: one that can restore ecosystems and protect the environment while bringing forth innovation, prosperity, meaningful work, and true security.
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