MATT BENNETT:
WHY BE AN ACTIVIST?

I consider myself a creation of the media. But hold on, I don't mean that the way it sounds. The single greatest influence (and motivation) for my activism is the message the media has often sent when writing about forestry and the environment. Compounded by the mistruths often told by environmentalists, I am deeply offended by the lack of honesty. As a people, we deserve better.

I admit to being confounded by this lack of honesty, so I've spent a great deal of trying to understand what motivates it. As a result, I'm not sure I understand why environmentalists think the way they do, but I do understand what they think. I understand what the future would look like if, as Vice President Al Gore suggests, protecting the Earth were the "central organizing principle" of our country, and it is not a future I want my children to have to survive.

I would strongly suggest that anyone wanting to be an activist take the time to educate himself or herself about green thinking. An excellent resource is the book Green Delusions by Martin Lewis. Second, develop a thick skin. Third, don't think you are going to change the world in a month; this is a marathon, not a sprint. Finally, be creative, and have fun.

Matt Bennett: bennettm@mindspring.com.

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