Why is there so much hostility towards environmentalism?

Question

What is so bad about wanting to preserve natural resources that it gets people so worked up? I mean the sheer hostility you see out there to even suggesting cleaner industry is preferable, or that recycling is a good thing is just astounding to me.

Answer 1

I would think that those that oppose environmentalism are fearful that energy diverted to this cause will take away from them in some way, either in resources, wealth or opportunity.......they may also fear the truth......loving the world we live in, relates closely to loving oneself and this might also evoke fear.

But essentially, as you can see from my answer the basis is FEAR...most things that neglect or are harmful are based in FEAR.

Answer 2

Environmentalists often go straight up against the almighty dollar, yen, etc. When it's done right, it's done for the good of all on the planet now and in the future. But since it often means higher expenditures by industry and business, it meets with resistance and hostility, because it interferes with profit.

But sometimes the business world can't see past their noses. Take our oceans. Pollution and overharvesting have devasted the fishing of many species, affecting the livlihood of thousands across the globe.

Some environmentalists do come across pretty strong because they believe in their cause. That doesn't help, because it pushes people away. But it all comes down to money. Just look at how scientist Rachel Carson was treated in the '60's when she revealed the damaging impacts of pesticide use. She was villified and her credentials challenged. But less than 10 years later DDT was banned in this country.

Answer 3

It's all a con.
Sure the Planet is in danger but to save it we want sensible action not propaganda.

Roads.
Local schools for local kids only. No school runs allowed.
Synchronised lights @ 30 mph on all main roads.
Buses from Fringe suburbs to Centre Ring Roads.
Supermarkets inside the town and nowhere else.
Employment.
Industrial estates outside towns and Light industry only.
Foreign Holidays. One per household per year.
Hospitals. Two per postal district.
Recycling. Three bag shelters for fox proof plastic bags.
Motorways
Only one drop loads for all lorries.
Break Bulk drop areas each 50 miles.
No more that 20% air space per load including contents.
Same fuel cost for all EU lorries
MOT Plates made visible
Bring back road police.
Recycling.
Internal use only. Carbon benefit only.
Utilities.
Water
5% leakage only.
!00% resevoir increase.
North to south & East to West National water transit canals or pipes.
Gas & Electricity.
Replace current paperwork suppliers with gas suppliers.
Power Factor limit 85% and not current 85%

Do all of this over a two year programe and save the fifty years of current involvement annually.
Now I believe in it.

Answer 4

Because we feel that we can't really have an influence and those in power are driven by money not humanity.

We could all just plant a few trees. This would not only help absorb the carbon but would also produce oxygen (trees are the lungs of the earth) and make your area look and feel better.
It may be simple and no seem like much but if everyone did it we would soon have a big impact.

Answer 5

I don't think the hostility is toward environmentalism as much as it is environmentalists. The general mentality of environmentalists is that if you don't agree with EVERYTHING they stand for, you're a heretic. Being environmentally aware and pro-active is something we all should be, but single-sided fanaticism isn't the way to go about it.

Answer 6

Because most people see environmentalists as holier than thou idiots who do not care AT ALL about the problems people face in their day to day lives, trying to put food on the table and keep a roof over their families heads and put their kids through college.

Just one example is logging. No timber company wants to cut all the trees, because they depend on a continuing supply of trees to stay in business. So they cut only as many as they can grow and the number of acres of forest is actually HIGHER in the U.S. now than it was 100 years ago. But the environmentalists sabotage timber equipment, spike trees so that the lumber men get hurt, and do not care about the number of trees that REALLY are growing in the country right now. They only care about saving some species of Owl or whatever that requires only certain kinds of trees or a certain mix of tree types in a natural, never ever cut forest, no matter how many people's lives are ruined as a result.

Answer 7

I think its a growing resentment against all the times the environmental movement has been used to lie to us as a means of taking more money from our pockets combined with the realization that so many environmental goals are poorly thought out and end up being worse than the problem they supposedly fixed.

Answer 8

Because generally people are selfish and they don't care for anything except their own little pleasures. No-one is really ready or willing to abnegate a certain course to improve things. They even mistakenly think that the planet will sort it self out. They fail to realise that Planet Earth has never ever been under such threat. They are short-sighted people with no natural affection.

Answer 9

i think most hostility comes from people living in cities who are so far removed from the real world that they have little understanding for how it works, aside from their elementary education. for example, they think "oh i'll go to the store and buy food" ok. how did the food get there? so many issues are interrelated in this very simple question. not only how the food got there but how was it grown? an equally important question. very few will realise the implications of these issues. they don't see how things happen and are therefore ignorant of them. they take for granted that there will be food when they go to buy it. what if, one day, there was not? what would they do then? most would starve. if the environment fails, we fail. it's as simple as that. you like your little lifestyle?? if you want to keep it you need to wake up and smell the roses, cause the planet will fix itself, but that doesn't necesarily mean we can save mankind. perhaps our reign is coming to an end, like it did for the dinosaurs. they died due to a meteor and its effects. mankind will die due to his own inability to reign in his selfishness and do whats right for everyone, not just himself. what a way to go. with all these people who don't care, it's hard to see any problem with that.

Answer 10

Because for every new law or proposal there is a fee or tax....and there are enough taxes we pay.
Not to mention there are some new laws regarding disposal of certain waste that has become illegal to throw in with the regular trash.....but no one has the solution to easily dispose of it first....such as batteries, tvs, tires...ect.....they just end up in some empty lot or in the desert where I live.
I just wish the peopel who come up with all this wonderful regulation has a working plan before they change something.