The whole of the 20th century has always put the car at the center. So by putting the pedestrian first, you create these livable places, I think, with more attraction and interest and character.
Prince CharlesRead
I think we'd be very foolish to expect that we can just import everything from somewhere else and imagine that that's going to last for ever and ever and ever
Interpretation
What this quote means
Relying solely on external resources is unwise; sustainability requires self-sufficiency.
This quote by Prince Charles emphasizes the folly of assuming that imported resources or ideas can be a permanent solution to our needs. It suggests a deeper understanding of sustainability, urging us to seek self-reliance and acknowledge the limitations of depending on outside sources without nurturing our own capabilities.
Themes
SustainabilitySelf-SufficiencyResourcesImportWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
During a conference on sustainability, this quote could be used to highlight the importance of local resources.
More from Prince Charles
All quotes βClimate change should be seen as the greatest challenge to face man and treated as a much bigger priority in the United Kingdom.
Prince CharlesRead
If you think about the impact of climate change, [it should be how] a doctor would deal with the problem. A scientific hypothesis is tested to absolute destruction, but medicine can't wait. If a doctor sees a child with a fever, he can't wait for [endless] tests. He has to act on what is there. The risk of delay is so enormous that we can't wait until we are absolutely sure the patient is dying.
Prince CharlesRead
We might be more inclined to think about the longer term if we were more aware of what is happening around us. Perhaps daily weather forecasts could include a few basic facts about the Earth's vital signs or details of where climate change is increasing the likelihood of damaging weather?
Prince CharlesRead
The sustainability revolution will, hopefully, be the third major social and economic turning point in human history, following the Neolithic Revolution - moving from hunter-gathering to farming - and the Industrial Revolution
Prince CharlesRead
Any difficulties which the world faces today will be as nothing compared to the full effects which global warming will have on the world-wide economy.
Prince CharlesRead
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