Nothing is constant but change! All existence is a perpetual flux of "being and becoming!" That is the broad lesson of the evolution of the world.
Ernst HaeckelRead
Probably the single-most concrete and substantive thing an American, young American, could do to lower our carbon footprint is not turning off the lights or driving a Prius, it's having fewer kids...we'll soon see a market in baby-avoidance carbon credits similar to efforts to sell CO2 credits for avoiding deforestation.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that reducing the number of children is a significant way to lower carbon footprints.
Andrew Revkin's quote suggests that one of the most effective actions young Americans can take to reduce their impact on the environment is to reconsider their choices about parenthood. By highlighting the environmental costs associated with population growth, he proposes the idea of 'baby-avoidance carbon credits' as a futuristic solution that parallels current markets aimed at reducing carbon emissions through lifestyle changes.
Themes
Carbon FootprintEnvironmentPopulation ControlSustainabilityParenthood
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about climate change solutions, one could reference this quote to highlight non-traditional methods of reducing environmental impact.
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