Earth Day: Has the environmental movement left the world behind?

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/22/04 | Patrick Moore, Nick Schulz

[CAIndependent]

Thirty-four years ago, the first Earth Day heralded a new era of ecological awareness -- when, as Earth Day founder Sen. Gaylord Nelson, D- Wis., put it, "the environmental issue came of age in American political life" by showing "the political leadership of the nation that there was broad and deep support for the environmental movement." Enough time has passed to take stock of the impact that the movement has had on nature and mankind. The record is decidedly mixed.

There is no doubt that the environments of wealthy, developed countries are considerably healthier today than on the first Earth Day. Air and water are cleaner. Human life expectancies are longer. Forests are abundant and growing. Developed countries have wanted improved environments and they have been wealthy enough to afford them.

But the story is much different elsewhere. Indeed, for much of the rest of the world, conditions are worse than they should be. Ironically, the very movement that made its presence felt in rallies across this country in 1970 and that thrives in the developed world today must shoulder much of the blame for the developing world's sorry state. It is impeding both economic and environmental progress due to an agenda that is anti-development, anti- technology and, in the final analysis, anti-human...

[randog]

Until the environmental movement comes to terms with the harm it has fostered in addition to the victories it has achieved, there will be no reason to celebrate Earth Day for millions of people around the globe.

Patrick Moore is a co-founder of Greenpeace who left that organization and became chairman and chief scientist of Greenspirit

This must have the SF and Berkeley leftists' heads spinning.

[lizma]

Someday, somewhere I want to see a greenie explain to me how the banning of DDT and the death of millions is a good thing.

Liberals are always pro-choice but their choice is always pro-death. What gives?

[Freedom4US]

The problem is, extremists hijacked the agenda, alienating natural allies like outdoorsmen, fishermen and hunters for a start, not to mention hundreds of thousands of families who make (or made) their living in resource extractive industries. Anyone who was in school during that time can relate the tall tales that were told, scaring the hell out of the kids (We were told the world would completely run out of oil by 1990 iirc.) The wild claims of course never happened, and so a lot of people just tune them and their message out altogether. But, they still fill kids heads with lies and guilt for being alive and all that. Must be a self-loathing lot. Got no use for 'em.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[Savage Beast]

I was once an "environmentalist". I gave freely to "environmentalist charities". I wore teashirts with "environmentalist" slogans on them.

Then I found out what the "environmentalist" movement is all about.

It'll be a cold day in hell when I give another penny to one of these enormously rich "charities" or lend my support to these bullies and their "causes".

When the "environmentalists" decide that your home violates "the public viewshed", they will be well prepared and armed with brilliant legal minds by the time you find out about it. Seizing it will be merely a matter of strategy; if one thing doesn't work, they'll think of another. Their lawyers will be well paid, their politicians enthusiastic. Their arguments will be convincing, their strategy flawless, their logic exquisite. Everyone will see how reasonable it is to throw you and your family out on the streets, seize your property, destroy your home, and turn over what's left to the government so that the "environmentalists" will have a pleasant view as they drive by. And everyone will praise the politicians for bringing yet another acre or half-acre or whatever you had under government protection. Nevermind that they stole it from you.

You're what? An American citizen? It can't happen???

[henderson field]

When the Sierra Club will not oppose immigration, which eliminates thousands of acres of wild habitat, then they cannot be taken seriously.

[henderson field]

"...extremists hijacked the agenda...?"
Quite right. The beginnings of concern about the environment were initiated by hunters, fishermen, farmers, ranchers -- people who loved the outdoors and wanted it kept clean. Then the so-called environmentalists came in saw that political control could be leveraged with this issue, at the same time cuddling up to real estate interests and the open borders lobby. So it's not about the environment at all. It's about money. And political control.

[Fenris6]

Socialists co-opted the enviro movement - now its all about redistribution of energy, production, and wealth through Kyoto et al

[RippleFire]

bump

[Avoiding_Sulla]

It is impeding both economic and environmental progress due to an agenda that is anti-development, anti- technology and, in the final analysis, anti-human...

This appeared in the SF Chronicle? Wake me when the other shoe drops, okay?

[Carry_Okie]

Patrick Moore, however "reformed" he is from his days in GreenPIECE, still believes in government control of resources.

[Clock King]

Finally got off his a** and went to a third world country and saw the fruit of his labor, eh?

[EGPWS]

But the story is much different elsewhere. Indeed, for much of the rest of the world, conditions are worse than they should be. Ironically, the very movement that made its presence felt in rallies across this country in 1970 and that thrives in the developed world today must shoulder much of the blame for the developing world's sorry state. It is impeding both economic and environmental progress due to an agenda that is anti-development, anti- technology and, in the final analysis, anti-human...

Ah yes, haven't I heard this before?

American way bad, American progress good.

Damned if ya' do and damned if ya' don't.

[q_an_a]

this article is another example of how liberals, including enviro-wackos, think they are smarter than everyone else and that their ideas are the ONLY solution to life on the planet. Ask them how come no communist country has survived and they give you a blank stare. Ask why Germany and France are in decline and they have another blank stare.

The problem for the world is that too long conservatives have let them run the agenda and have not fougth back with the arguments found in this article. We are too isolated. The only people, beside our military, that is in the world of helping the third world are Christian missionaries.