“The gazelle and the lion are enemies only in the minds of the Takers. The lion that comes across a herd of gazelles doesn’t massacre them, as an enemy would. It kills one, not to satisfy its hatred of gazelles but to satisfy its hunger, and once it has made its kill the gazelles are perfectly content to go on grazing with the lion right in their midst.”
Ishmael is a very thought-provoking read, and reading it a second time only enhances its ability to make you think about things differently. This quote from Ishmael about how lions and gazelles live in harmony once they have taken care of their basic necessities is full of discussion worthy topics that have to do with sustainability, but possibly the most noteworthy is the idea that humans do not have the same sense of “take what you need.” As humans we tend to take what we want not what we need, and this has lead to great environmental issues. The average American eats over 2500 calories a day, that is roughly 1000 calories over the recommended caloric intake. This is one example of how we consume more than we need. This is one huge way we as a species are unsustainable, the rest of the animal kingdom seems to be on board with the idea of only consuming what is necessary for life, but we are on the outside of that ideal and it is costing us dearly.
~Blake Weinard
Facets of Sustainability 