Re[2]: [at-l] Wind Turbines near the trail

[Bob C." <ellen@clinic.net (Bob C.)]

"...I'm sure it was a scene straight out of a WPA mural," suggests Texas....

Well,  fwiw, it had no resemblence to any WPA mural I've seen. But I fail to see
the  significance  of  whether  it  was or wasn't. The Spectator argued that the
environmental movement was triggered mostly by wealthy gentry landowners pushing
foolish opposition to economic progress.

Having dealt with environmental issues for 40 years I know that is false, but in
an  attempt to keep the discussion trail related, I gave a bit of the background
of  those  who  work on the trail in Maine and of those who form the bulk of the
opposition to the proposed wind turbines.

It  is  true  that people most impacted by environmental degradation, tend to be
most  vocal  in  opposition  to  that degradation. That's why I know a lot about
issues  involving  the Appalachian trail and the Kennebec River that flows by my
house, but relatively little about the Pacific Crest Trail and the Hudson River.

In my 40 years of experience, most environmental issues are fought by those most
impacted.  That's  why  when  I  was  regularly writing about the environment, I
rarely used the word "environmentalist."

Most  of those fighting the important battles were simply protecting things they
found  important  in  there  everyday lives. Calling those concerns NIMBYism and
labeling  those  with concerns "environmentalists" is about as useful as calling
parents with a thing about sending their kids to school "educationalists."

These debates should be centered on the merits of what is being proposed. Labels
do  nothing  to  further  rational discussion. They are used mostly by those who
think short term profits are more important than wise stewardship of the earth.

Weary