OK, then substitute sacred, all-knowing indigenous peoples living in peace and harmony with Nature in Paradise before the sacred, all-knowing Incas living in peace and harmony with Nature in Paradise.
Pretty much.
I have never seen any actual evidence of any people anywhere on earth refusing to take actions that would make their own lives better because it might damage “the environment.”
With exception of recent environmentalist movements, and in those cases almost without exception someone else will pay the price or at least the enviros think someone else will.