Environment, Eco-Warriors

Randall Amster

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” 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 ...

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