Environment, Eco-Warriors

In recent years a set of related movements, sometimes referred to as “radical environmentalism,” has appeared on the global stage. Despite precursors in history, what is new about these movements is the confrontational nature of the tactics they often employ, including blockades, tree spiking, forest occupations, and property destruction. Sometimes referred to as “eco-warriors,” or more pejoratively by authorities as “ecoterrorists,” the individuals in these movements directly confront the social problem of environmental degradation, yet also at times generate new social problems through their choice of tactics and strategies.

Some observers suggest the radical environmental movement found its initial inspiration in Edward Abbey's writings, which popularized the term mon-keywrenching. Despite the linguistic logic to this, more philosophical discourses such as “deep ecology” [Page 304]have had an equally profound impact on modern eco-warriors. Indeed, the radical environmental movement appears to be a product of equal parts wide-ranging ecological thought and explicit calls to action. Combining theory and practice, eco-warriors call attention to serious issues such as pollution, species extinction, nuclear waste, and deforestation through the use of dramatic actions aimed at simultaneously educating the public and preventing further environmental harm.

Rik Scarce characterizes an eco-warrior as someone who generally believes in “direct action” instead of incremental or legislative change, strongly embraces the values of biological diversity, disdains bureaucratic hierarchy in favor of self-organization, works tirelessly to save the environment despite long odds and great personal risk, and maintains an ecological consciousness that often includes a spiritual component. Eco-warriors also generally adhere to a philosophy of nonviolence toward all living entities; nonetheless, highly confrontational tactics are part of the movement's identity. Eco-warriors have, for instance, vandalized animal testing laboratories, chained themselves together to block logging roads, damaged bulldozers and other machinery, picketed outside the homes of animal researchers, and disrupted power lines to mining operations. Still, experts generally agree that these environmentalists have not caused serious physical harm to any humans during their campaigns, except perhaps to themselves on rare occasions.

Dave Foreman, one of the founders of the radical environmental entity Earth First!, asserts that mon-keywrenching—the direct resistance to the destruction of the earth and its life forms—is nonviolent, in that it never aims to harm any living being, with care taken to minimize any possible physical threat to people. He further argues that monkeywrenching itself is diverse, as anyone can do it and a wide range of movements on both the left and the right actively use it. Movement activists themselves also accept direct action strategies such as monkeywrenching as part of a “diversity of tactics” to employ, depending upon the situation, and that sometimes radical actions can help more mainstream activists accomplish their stated aims and goals. However, this remains a controversial point in environmental circles and in movement literature.

In addition to Earth First!, eco-warriors also include groups such as Greenpeace, the Sea Shepherds, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Redwood Alliance, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, and Friends of the Earth. While at times employing strategies like boycotts and blockades, these entities also utilize less-controversial tactics, such as media campaigns, legislative lobbying, and mobilizing around environmental issues ranging from animal exploitation to ocean health to nuclear power. Whereas some view these groups as radical extremists, others see them as an institutionalization of environmental concerns and a more viable alternative to movement radicalism.

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