QuoteProject
To drown a river beneath its own impounded water, by damming, is to kill what it was and to settle for something else. When the damming happens without good reason . . . then it's a tragedy of diminishment for the whole planet, a loss of one more wild thing, leaving Earth just a little flatter and tamer and simpler and uglier than before.
David Quammen
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Damming a river destroys its essence and leads to a loss of natural beauty.

This quote by David Quammen highlights the negative impact of altering natural landscapes, particularly through damming rivers. It emphasizes that such actions not only change the physical characteristics of the river but also diminish the ecological diversity and beauty of the planet, suggesting that the loss of wild and untamed nature reduces the richness of our environment and experiences.

Themes

DammingRiverNatureEnvironmentConservationEcology

In practice

Example use cases

During a speech on environmental conservation, one might quote this to illustrate the consequences of human intervention in nature.

Similar quotes

As custodians of the planet it is our responsibility to deal with all species with kindness, love, and compassion. That these animals suffer through human cruelty is beyond understanding. Please help to stop this madness.
Richard GereRead
A fish is more valuable swimming in the sea maintaining the integrity of oceanic eco-systems than it is on anyone's plate.
Paul WatsonRead
Geese appear high over us, / pass, and the sky closes. Abandon, / as in love or sleep, holds them to their way, clear / in the ancient faith: what we need / is here. And we pray, not / for new earth or heaven, but to be / quiet in heart, and in eye, / clear. What we need is here.
Wendell BerryRead
his planet came with a set of instructions, but we seem to have misplaced them. Important rules like don’t poison the water, soil, or air, don’t let the earth get overcrowded, and don’t touch the thermostat have been broken.
Paul HawkenRead
Now 'tis spring, and weeds are shallow-rooted; Suffer them now and they'll o'ergrow the garden.
William ShakespeareRead
Ocean is more ancient than the mountains, and freighted with the memories and the dreams of Time.
H. P. LovecraftRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.