Anyone who thinks that you can have infinite growth on a planet with finite resources is either a madman or an economist. David Attenborough More Quotes by David Attenborough More Quotes From David Attenborough The whole of science, and one is tempted to think the whole of the life of any thinking man, is trying to come to terms with the relationship between yourself and the natural world. Why are you here, and how do you fit in, and what's it all about. David Attenborough trying men thinking Birds were flying from continent to continent long before we were. They reached the coldest place on Earth, Antarctica, long before we did. They can survive in the hottest of deserts. Some can remain on the wing for years at a time. They can girdle the globe. Now, we have taken over the earth and the sea and the sky, but with skill and care and knowledge, we can ensure that there is still a place on Earth for birds in all their beauty and variety - if we want to... And surely, we should. David Attenborough taken sea years I would be absolutely astounded if population growth and industrialisation and all the stuff we are pumping into the atmosphere hadn't changed the climatic balance. Of course it has. There is no valid argument for denial. David Attenborough atmosphere balance growth All life is related. And it enables us to construct with confidence the complex tree that represents the history of life David Attenborough history-of-life life-is tree Until humanity manages to sort itself out and get a co-ordinated view about the planet, it's going to get worse and worse. David Attenborough planets humanity views There is no question that climate change is happening; the only arguable point is what part humans are playing in it. David Attenborough climate-change climate humans It never really occurred to me to believe in God. David Attenborough believe-in-god believe It's a moral question about whether we have the right to exterminate species. David Attenborough species animal-rights moral I had a huge advantage when I started 50 years ago - my job was secure. I didn't have to promote myself. These days there's far more pressure to make a mark, so the temptation is to make adventure television or personality shows. I hope the more didactic approach won't be lost. David Attenborough adventure jobs years I believe the Abominable Snowman may be real. I think there may be something in that. David Attenborough real believe thinking Well, I'm having a good time. Which makes me feel guilty too. How very English. David Attenborough guilty good-times travel The human population can no longer be allowed to grow in the same old uncontrollable way. If we do not take charge of our population size, then nature will do it for us and it is the poor people of the world who will suffer most David Attenborough size suffering people Apart from anything else, I am designed by evolution, like we all are: if we see a little thing like that, big eyes, tiny nose, we go 'aaah'. That's what evolution does. We are programmed to do that. So to find babies the most amazing, isn't surprising, I don't think. David Attenborough eye baby thinking I'm not an animal lover if that means you think things are nice if you can pat them, but I am intoxicated by animals. David Attenborough nice animal mean Birds are the most popular group in the animal kingdom. We feed them and tame them and think we know them. And yet they inhabit a world which is really rather mysterious. David Attenborough animal bird thinking If you watch animals objectively for any length of time, you're driven to the conclusion that their main aim in life is to pass on their genes to the next generation. David Attenborough generations animal watches It is that range of biodiversity that we must care for - the whole thing - rather than just one or two stars. David Attenborough care stars two Very few species have survived unchanged. There's one called lingula, which is a little shellfish, a little brachiopod about the size of my fingernail, that has survived for 500 million years, but it's survived by being unobtrusive and doing nothing, and you can't accuse human beings of that. David Attenborough doing-nothing littles years Many individuals are doing what they can. But real success can only come if there is a change in our societies and in our economics and in our politics. David Attenborough economics our-society real What I am interested in with birds, just as I am with spiders or monkeys, is what they do and why they do it. David Attenborough spiders monkeys bird
