Greening the brownlash

The Canadian activist Patrick Moore (not to be confused with the British amateur astronomer and cult-watcher of the same name) was one of the founders of Greenpeace. Later, he defected from the organization and began hobnobbing with corporate leaders and presidents of lumberjack labour unions. "Confessions of a Greenpeace Dropout" actually resembles a brownlash or Wise Use publication! Yet, Moore still claims to be a "sensible" environmentalist...

Moore is a fish farmer, and an entire section of the book defends this particular activity, apparently a major target for Greenpeace in Canada and the United States. He supports commercial forestry, a major activity in British Columbia (his Canadian home province) and another Greenpeace target. DDT and other pesticides, nuclear power and genetic engineering are also defended by the author, who further calls for population stabilization through rising living standards. The most controversial part of "Confessions" is Moore's rejection of global warming: it either doesn't exist, or if it does, it's harmless. On this point, other pro-technology Greens such as Stewart Brand or James Lovelock would strongly disagree.

One of the few "regular" Green positions taken by Moore is what he calls "my only religious dogma": one should never, ever kill whales and dolphins, since these animals are almost as intelligent as humans. It's unclear why he doesn't want to stop killing of primates, elephants or even ravens!

Moore's positions are so "far out" that it's unclear whether he should really be considered a part of the Green movement at all. I get the impression that he's trying to green the brownlash. One thing's for sure: deep ecologists, anarcho-primitivists, Anthroposophists and the Unabomber won't like this one...

You have been warned.