I realize it’s a 6 year old article, but it’s new to me and I had to respond. Michael S. Berliner writes in his article “If Environmentalists Succeed, They Will Make Human Life Impossible” found on the website of the Ayn Rand Institute an article which he puts forth as fact regarding the fate of the world if environmentalists have their way:

“It is a lesson in the real motives of the environmentalists: not clean air and clean water, but the demolition of technological/industrial civilization. Their goal is not the advancement of human health, human happiness, and human life; rather it is a subhuman world where “nature” is worshiped like the totem of some primitive religion.”

According to Mr. Berliner, environmentalists are anti-progress and anti-technology and want us all to be living in caves. This opinion is one of the most vicious and immature examples of stereotyping I’ve ever seen. How convenient for him to write his article based on an opinion apparently formulated by the observation of a few radical, media-sensationalized individuals rather than on the actual views of the greater population of environmentalists. He obviously has not spoken first hand to very many at all. It is such obvious fear mongering to say that wanting cleaner technology is the same as wanting to destroy technology. How very opposite to his claimed philosophy of being objective.

I suppose the most efficient way to respond to Mr. Berliner is in a scientific manner. If you state that triangles are red, all I have to do is show you a blue triangle and, presto, your theory is disproved. Well, Mr Berliner, I’m pro-environment myself. You’d probably call me an environmentalist. But I love technology, progress and human achievements. I simply believe that we are smart enough, to do it better: cleaner, more efficient, less wasteful. There you go, an environmentalist who does not fit your outrageous claim. Your stereotype, Mr Berliner has been disproved.