Many environmental activists find that they struggle to be heard over other interests and that they are not popular people because they are seen as 'tree huggers' and stop people from undertaking activities that would allow them to make money. Lawyers who are interested in and focused on environmental litigation seem to be abusing what they are supposed to do in the sense that they will sue just about anyone for anything at this point. Of course, not all lawyers who are concerned about the environment do these kinds of things. The ones who do are often consumed with protecting everything from everything else, which is completely impossible to do. Many of the environmental activists do the same type of thing, and there has to be a balance between what people need to do to survive and protecting the environment from human interaction and activity that are not necessary and that could be very harmful.
With all of the land clearing that is taking place and the rapid expansion that seems to be increasing where human growth and building are concerned, the Endangered Species Act is more important than ever. The restrictions on it should be tightened, not loosened up to allow other species to die out just because they are not 'as important' as humans. There are no serious changes that should be made in the Act, but it really does need to be enforced. This enforcement is vital, since there are...
Human beings are capable of moving somewhere else and are also capable of finding other careers, but animals cannot do that.
They live where they live for a reason - it is where they can find food and raise their young and do many similar things. If they are displaced, they may adapt, but they may also die. This is particularly true if there is no good food source for them wherever they end up. Their habitat is not just about the kind of place they live, but the entire ecosystem and what it has to offer to them. Being able to find everything that they need can be instantly changed if loggers come through and clear cut all of the timber that they once lived in, and for the Northern Spotted Owl this is the kind of thing that is taking place. Without protection, the owl could have disappeared completely, and since they are part of a greater ecosystem that could lead to an overpopulation of some of the creatures that the owls ate in the past. There could also be an underpopulation of other creatures or plants. Causing a serious shift in the numbers of one type of animal in an area does not affect only that animal, but the entire area that the animal left. Those who clear land for timber appear unconcerned about this, but it is very important.
