Environmentalism vs. Business (published in New York Times)

In “The Greens vs. Germany’s Welfare State,” writer Martin Hefner attempts to deny the economic destructiveness of the Greens’ policies by ignoring their motives and absurdly claiming that the Greens are “allies” of business.

In fact, the premises held by the Greens are the exact opposite of the premises held by businessmen. According to Environmentalism, the business production that makes possible the urban and suburban environment of man should be eliminated because it “destroys” the “natural” environment of everything that isn’t man.

There is no way in logic to reconcile opposite principles. Environmentalism is undeniably a friend to trees, swamps, the unused oil under the ground and the caribou above it. It and its leaders are just as undeniably enemies of economic activity and human well-being.