That's what hurts the environmental movement - holding people to

Hear, O children of earth and spirit, the words of Laurie David: “That's what hurts the environmental movement—holding people to a standard they cannot meet. That just pushes people away.” These words are not spoken in despair, but in wisdom, for they reveal a truth that is often forgotten by those who labor for justice: that change does not come through impossible demands, but through compassion, patience, and guidance. To build a better world, we must invite people to walk the path, not drive them from it with burdens too heavy to carry.

The environmental movement, born of love for rivers, forests, skies, and all creatures, is noble in its purpose. Yet when its champions demand purity too great—when they ask every soul to abandon at once all comforts, all habits, all customs—they risk alienating those who might have become allies. A man who is told that he must be perfect or else he is nothing may choose instead to do nothing at all. Thus, in striving too high, the movement may stumble low. Laurie David warns us against this error: that the cause of life itself is harmed when we turn potential friends into enemies by condemning their weakness rather than nurturing their strength.

The ancients teach us of this balance. Consider the tale of Solon of Athens, the lawgiver. He saw that the people needed reform, but he also knew that laws too harsh or too idealistic would break rather than bind the city. And so he said, “I gave the people not the best laws, but the best they could receive.” In this we see the same wisdom: that progress comes not from unattainable perfection, but from steady steps that people can walk together. The lesson of Athens still rings true for the defenders of the earth.

Think also of the story of the abolitionists. Some demanded instant, complete emancipation of slaves in an age unprepared to receive such a decree; others worked through gradual measures, shifting the conscience of the people step by step until the tide of freedom could no longer be stopped. While the moral urgency was absolute, the strategy required patience with human frailty. Likewise, the call to protect the earth is urgent, yet the path must be built so that ordinary souls may walk upon it without stumbling under impossible weight.

The meaning of Laurie David’s words is not to lower our ideals, but to remember that ideals must be bridges, not walls. To hold people to standards they cannot meet is to turn them away from the cause entirely. But to welcome even small efforts—to honor the family that plants a garden, the neighbor who reduces waste, the city that embraces solar power—is to weave countless threads into a great tapestry of change. Each act may be small, but together they form a fabric strong enough to shield the earth.

The lesson for future generations is this: speak not with the voice of judgment, but with the voice of invitation. Inspire rather than condemn. Show others not only what they cannot do, but what they can. For people are more likely to walk the path when they see that their steps, however humble, still matter. As the ancients said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Let not the demand for the thousandth mile prevent the taking of the first.

Practical action lies before all: when you speak of the earth’s plight, speak with compassion. Encourage others in their efforts, however modest, and show them the joy of living in harmony with nature. Do not scorn those who cannot abandon all, but guide them toward what they can do. Support leaders who build practical, achievable policies, and remember always that change grows best not in the soil of condemnation, but in the soil of encouragement.

So let it be remembered: the environmental movement is weakened not by its cause, which is just, but by the weight of demands too high for human shoulders. If we would see the earth healed, we must lead not with scorn but with love, not with perfection but with patience. Thus shall the hearts of many be won, and together their efforts will become a mighty force to defend creation.