How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
For miles it was either entirely barren or covered in the spindly trunks of dead trees, a few still weakly standing but most toppled. It brought to mind a World War I battlefield. (2.14.80)
This metaphor lays things out perfectly: polluting the environment is like declaring war on Mother Nature. We're not hippies or anything, but we think that it's pretty scary to see how a beautiful countryside can become barren and decayed in only a few years. That leaves us with only one question—how can we prevent stuff like this from happening again?
Quote #8
If there is a greater reason for being grateful to live in the twentieth century than the joy of stepping [...] into [...] an air-conditioned establishment, then I really cannot think of it. (2.16.53)
Despite his love for all things environmental, Bryson still gets plenty of kicks out of modern technology. This is actually important to note. Bryson isn't arguing that we should renounce all modern technology and head back to the Stone Age, but simply that we should be responsible with our use of technology and conscious of its impact on the planet.
Quote #9
In 1850, New England was 70 percent open farmland and 30 percent woods. Today the proportions are exactly reversed. (2.16.54)
It's encouraging to know that there's been positive change somewhere—in most places, the complete opposite thing happened over the same time period. If nothing else, this shows us that it is indeed possible to put a bigger spotlight on environmental concerns.