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
You can print money to bail out a bank, but you can't print life to bail out a planet.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Economic recovery can be achieved through monetary means, but the health of the planet is irreplaceable and cannot be restored through money alone.
This quote emphasizes the critical distinction between financial resources and the irreplaceable value of the environment. While governments can use money to revive failing banks and economies, the planet's natural systems are finite and cannot be compensated or rejuvenated through financial means. Therefore, it underscores the urgent need for sustainable practices and environmental stewardship rather than reliance on monetary solutions to address ecological crises.
Themes
EnvironmentSustainabilityPlanetMoneyLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about climate change, one might say, 'As Paul Hawken wisely noted, you can print money to bail out a bank, but you can't print life to bail out a planet.'
More from Paul Hawken
All quotes βInspiration 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?
Paul HawkenRead
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.
Paul HawkenRead
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