Environmentalists? What are environmentalists?
I think of long-haired hippies who do not dye or cut their hair and live completely off the land in shacks made completely out of wood with nothing modern.
We all know this is not true. They drive cars and live in homes run with propane, natural gas, plastics, rubber, coal and oil. I would consider myself an environmentalist in most circles. I don’t throw my trash out the window. I recycle when I can. I love the outdoors, fresh air, hiking and camping as much as anyone.
I’m a realist, though. I have a natural gas furnace. I eat and drink from plastic cups and bottles. I use a lot of plastic. Self-proclaimed environmentalists do, too. I could list other things we all use, like cellphones, tablets, computers, clothes, furniture, carpet, glues, laminates, pans, dishes, X-rays and radiation for cancer, literally almost everything we use.
I would challenge people who want to call themselves environmentally friendly and “green” to try to make a living and support their families and futures without using any products made from the places they think need to be protected.
It seems to me over the past 30 years that the environmentalists want to lock up all land. We have huge amounts of land tied up in Utah already under the guise of “protection.” Our lands are already being protected by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Antiquities Act, national monuments, parks and historic areas, and many other designations.
The land is being used responsibly. The mining processes and directions are constantly being improved to be safe and to beautify. Why then do we need more protection? I feel like it’s just someone’s project and a way to leave some kind of legacy.
We just want to live in San Juan County, Utah, and make a living and be able to have a future here.
Environmentalists live, have and want the same things we do, so why are they attacking our way of life? Seems a little hypocritical. No Bears Ears national monument!
Wendy Black
Blanding, Utah
