Just to play a little Devil's Advocate. I'd like to coin a new term, other than "greenies", "Sierra clubbers", "environmentalists", and terms like those. The problem is, those terms are too broad. I consider myself an environmentalist, I agree with many green policies, and I salute the actual, written mission of the Sierra Club I bet most of you do too. The Sierra Club's mission is
"To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources; To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives."
The term "environmentalist" is about as broad as the term "car-owner". The problem is not environmentalism PER SE. It's a branch of environmentalism that views humans as inherently evil, that feels any lasting human change to the earth is wrong, and that nature, without humans, is inherently perfect. I wouldn't call these folks environmentalists. I'd call them (for lack of more imagination) anti-humanists. They are the folks who think that "nature is always right," and, at their most extreme, they think "the Earth would be better without humans." Obviously, this is a simplification as well. But, I think it gets a little closer to the true issues, and the true conflict.
We do a couple of disservices when we assume that all environmentalists are anti-humanists. First, we are dismissing other reasonable, educated people who actually feel the same way we do about land-use issues and such. Second, we are portraying ourselves inaccurately. We all love the outdoors, we don't want to see it damaged, and we wish more people would be educated about the marvelous Mojave desert. Thus, in the true sense of the word, we are all environmentalists.
The term "environmentalist" has simply become too politicized, and no one knows what it means anymore. So, we just need to be careful, and say what we really mean. Labels are always simplifications, so my suggestion to create yet another label may seem facetious. And yet, it's human nature to use labels. So, let's at least try to use one that's a little more accurate. If anyone has something more catchy than "anti-humanist", let's hear it!
My two cents on a Saturday.