Love Hate Relationship: People Encroaching on their Environment

There are many environmental causes in the world that one can support. It is very important for humans to be aware of their environment because of the consequences that can occur if this major issue is ignored. Environmental issues have been brought into the spotlight recently. These issues are talked about constantly in schools, on the news, and even in political campaigns. One important issue that threatens the environment is humans. Humans come with a lot of baggage. People have been encroaching on the environment especially because of population growth. More and more houses, hotels, restaurants, resorts, and other buildings are constructed each year to accommodate this influx. I believe that, as inhabitants of this environment, we should control our building and ourselves in order to save and protect it. However, some people take this too far. I think that we should find a balance and focus on having an environment to enjoy for the future.

People are often responsible for the destruction of the environment. As the population grows, those people need places to live. Houses are built everywhere and anywhere. Excluding the land set aside as either national parks or nature reserve like places, houses can be built anywhere. In order to build houses, the land needs to be cleared, pipes need to be laid and wires need to be hung. All of this is done for just one house. Houses are very necessary and I am not suggesting that they are not. I am simply saying that people need to be aware of where they build their houses and maybe choose a location that is more environmentally friendly rather than a place with a view or a sprawling floor plan.

An aspect of life that people could live without is resorts. Resorts are built purely to make money off of the environment. They bring an enormous amount of people into the specific area but not without consequence. Ski resorts require hotels, ski lifts, ski slopes, lodges, and restaurants. Most ski resorts, that are successful at all, have multiple slopes and usually have multiple peaks allowing for lines to be short. This mentality is what makes it much more profitable for these resorts to cut down trees in order to build more slopes, lodges and lifts. Ski resorts are not the only resorts that ruin the environment to increase profit; beach resorts are just as bad. Often these resorts build their hotels right on the beach, which increases the speed at which the coastlines are eroding. Resorts are not necessary for people to enjoy the environment. Many people choose to hike up mountains and ski or snowboard on trails not at ski resorts. Just as many people search for unsettled beaches to enjoy their vacations instead of the large overcrowded resorts. These places tend to capitalize off people who want to take the easy way to enjoy an activity that did not start that way. Before skiing became popular, there were no ski resorts, no precut slopes with man-made snow, no lift to take the skier to the top, and definitely no over-priced coffee or tea to warm them up in between runs. People enjoyed these activities way before resorts were around and could still enjoy them if they were no more.

Some people take these views way too far. I believe that if humans keep encroaching on the environment at this present pace then in the near future, there will be almost no environment left. However, some environmental organizations take these views way to literally and go about trying to achieve change in all the wrong ways. One of these organizations is called the Earth Liberation Front, formally known as the Earth Liberation Force. It was founded to protect the environment, which seems like a good thing. However, the ELF tends to protect the environment through direct action using guerilla tactics, which often includes violence (Hanna). Members or the ELF or elves have been convicted and placed into prison over many of their illegal actions, their form of protest. In the late seventies, the founder of the first ELF was arrested after he placed seven incendiary devices on crop dusters (Hanna). John Hanna, the founder, spent many years in prison for his actions. In a recent interview he said, “Not if it manifests itself in violence. Civil disobedience can be militant in practice or perception. But violence is NEVER civil. Thoreau and Gandhi landed in jail but they never could have accomplished their goals had they resorted to violence. They maintained the high moral ground and inspired support. They showed they were better than their adversaries” (Hanna). Hanna actually disbanded the original ELF but recently in the 90s another environmental extremist group was created named ELF. They have the same motives as the original and even follow in its idea of direct action. They have burned luxury homes, used car lots, and resorts. Many of its members have also spent time in jail for their actions, just like Hanna. One of their most famous protests was in Vail, Colorado (Funk). The ELF targeted Vail because the resort was considering expansion. The expansion that Vail was planning encroached on the lynx habitat in the area. The ELF set off fire bombs that destroyed 12 million dollars worth of damages including the Two Elk Restaurant (Hanna). It was the worst eco-terrorist act in United States history (Hanna). Four people, members of ELF, were convicted for this protest. Outside Magazine wrote an article on one of the accused, Chelsea Gerlach. She was sentenced to nine years in federal prison in May 2007 for her actions. Outside wrote the piece after Gerlach was imprisoned. When asked if she felt that her actions were wrong she stated, “I don't regret doing what I felt was right. I don't regret trying to protect the environment. I had good intentions, and I don't regret that I dedicated so much of my life to this. Activism is motivated fundamentally by compassion and a desire for peace. It's a big step to use force, and it should be” (Funk, 9). As proven by Gerlach, some people just feel so strong that direct action is the only way they think change can occur. However, Hanna did feel that his actions were wrong and that there is a better way to go about it. The environment is a very important issue and should be protected; however these eco-terrorist groups, like the ELF, may take it too far.

I believe humans should limit the amount of development in order to help protect the environment. Houses, roads, resorts, etcetera should be limited in where they can be constructed. I have watched my own neighborhood go through changes over the past few years that strengthens my belief. I used to play outside in my backyard when I was younger. Trees used to line three sides of my house. Dense forest stretched way back and ended almost at the beach. Now behind my house there is a very thin line of trees that separates my house from the house behind me. A whole new development was built in a matter of a couple of years. Twelve to fourteen new houses were constructed and a lot of trees and plants were cut down in order to build them. My neighborhood is not the only place development has affected the environment. My family used to own a condo on Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. When we first went up there, the mountain was barely settled. There were about four ski slopes and a bunch of small trails for mountain biking and hiking. There were about ten condos along the bottom near the river. Now there are three peaks open with over 50 trails available for skiing. My family ended up selling our condo. By the time we did sell, there were condos lining both sides of the river as well as creeping up the side of the mountain with no trails on it. Loon has tripled in size and is still expanding. In order for this resort to expand, more of the natural environment will have to be destroyed, all in the name of money. I, myself, love to snowboard. I choose to board on either very small resorts or on mountains without resorts. I hate to think that I would be contributing funds to the people who are destroying the environment in order to exploit it for its monetary value. I have also observed human developing much deeper into nature than a ski resort or my town. While hiking on trails that were once secluded and isolated within the forest, I now see houses and telephone lines. On some trails there are even multiple hotels built on them for hikers to stay. Not just a simple hut with a roof and a bed but a fully functioning hotel. It is unbelievable because hiking is one of the most environmentally friendly sports; to hike one does not even need a cut trail. At this rate, it will be difficult to find a spot untouched by development. If this development were to be slowed or limited to certain areas then the environment would be protected from becoming diminished.

As hard as it is to say, I do see how groups like the ELF could become so angry about the total disregard that some people have for the environment. I see it happening around me and it is sad. I enjoy nature and want to for the rest of my life, yet with all of the development that is going on that might not be a possibility. From big ski resorts only getting larger and expanding to housing developments with hundreds of units being built everywhere, our environment is getting smaller and smaller. We need to protect the environment for it impacts many aspects of our lives. Without the environment, life would be very different.

Works Cited

Funk, McKenzie. "Firestarter." Outside Magazine. Sept. 2007. 1 Nov. 2008 .

Hanna, John. "ELF (Earth Liberation Force): the original." ELF (Earth Liberation Force). 2 Nov. 2008 .

Kohler, Judith, and Dan Elliott. "4 Indicted for 1998 Vail Ski Resort Fires." Washinton Post. May 2006. 1 Nov. 2008 .