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22 September 2001

Leftist Environmentalists

Every two months, I receive a MASSIVE promotional mailing from the Sierra Club, encouraging me above all else to send them money, and additionally to sign and return various petitions opposing President Bush, the "oil lobby" and other villains. These mailings are usually full of paper -- some of it wax paper that is biodegradable, but less so then standard paper -- and are quite weighty. Today, I used their postage-paid envelope to send them a letter asking them to remove me from their mailing list, because I am opposed to their politics even though I consider myself an environmentalist, and as someone who actually IS concerned about the environment, I hate to see them wasting such large amounts of paper on me. I'm guessing in two months, I'll get another mailing from them.

The latest Backpacker magazine also gets into the act, urging its readers to voice opposition to ANY roadbuilding in national lands near Mt. St. Helens, which eruption in May 1980 wound up creating a "natural" surrounding roadless area that persists today. To the magazine's credit, at least it quotes a pro-road personality who notes "You'll always find people who don't want a road built anyplace." Just before it gives numbers for activists to call.

I don't mind activism, mind you, but I do tire of far-Left environmentalists who would have us all living in primitive huts to "protect" the environment. Many of them simply go too far.

In the case of Backpacker, I wish they would stick to talking about conservation techniques, low-impact hiking techniques, educational outreach, cleanup, and other things that backpackers, hikers, and other outdoors enthusiasts can do to "protect" the environment that are a far more positive and productive use of time than bellyaching constantly to lawmakers.

[Posted @ 02:17 PM CST]


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