It amuses me to read comments on topics like this that refer to 'the greenies' and yet I firmly believe that all of us who spend a considerable amount of time in the outdoors, whether it be prospecting, fishing, bird watching, bush walking or any activity that puts us in touch with nature, have a certain tinge of green about us - it's just that some are a darker shade than others.
I was born in the bush, grew up in the bush, worked in the bush, now retired in the bush and above all, I respect the bush and hate to see it trashed - does that make me a 'greenie'? If so, I am glad to wear the title.
We, the so called intelligent species, have been trashing and polluting the planet ever since we invented throw away items and we are the only life form on Earth to do so, but if any of our species speaks out about the mess we have created, they are labelled a 'greenie'. Sure, some environmental groups demonstrate extreme views that do not do their cause much good, but their actions & views do not create the mess that those at the other end of the spectrum have been doing for quite some time, all in the excuse of making life easy.
Aside from prospecting, my main passion in life is fishing, especially in remote northern locations and there is hardly a place that I visit that I do not come across a plastic bag with a Tweed Bait Supply label - on beaches, in rivers and creeks and often floating many kilometres offshore. It makes my blood boil with rage that somebody who shares the same past-time as myself could not give a damn about the mess they leave behind, let alone the harm it does to marine life.
Maybe I'm a darker shade of green than I thought I was, regardless of the fact that I am a fishing maniac, I love digging holes and my favourite tool in the shed is a Stihl chainsaw.
Jeff