A logger's daughter can care about the environment

Michael Berliner made some good points when he lambasted environmentalism in the paper on April 30. Environmentalists often have a tendency to go overboard without completely researching the issue they are working against. Logging is a prime example. I am a logger’s daughter and am very much aware of the decimation of the logging industry in Mineral County because of environmental extremists. Those of us who grew up here understand that logging responsibly assists in the health of a forest environment.

We understand that there is a fine line between exploitation and responsible usage that enables a group of people to make a decent living. Here in Montana things are happening to try and undo the damage done to our lovely state by those who exploited its riches without regard to its care and preservation. Michael Berliner would have us continue to exploit without protecting our water, our air, and our land.

Mr. Berliner talks about his idea that “He [an individual] has a moral right to live his own life for his own sake.” He apparently does not believe that we should take care of the environment that gives us life. He does not understand that if we have no trees at all, we will not have enough oxygen to live our lives; if we do not have drinkable water, we cannot live at all. If the land is completely polluted, we cannot grow healthy food. If we do not try to curb noxious emissions, we will not be able to draw enough breath the live our lives for our own sakes or anyone else’s.

Contrary to Mr. Berliner’s statement that we should completely reject the concept of environmentalism, we need to work together to responsibility assess each individual situation to decide if the benefits to humans outweigh the damage to the environment. We need to take care of our people much better than our government currently does in many arenas. One way of taking care of our precious people is to make sure that they can breathe clean air, drink clean water, and make a decent living in a responsible manner. When we do that, we also take care of the environment which in turn will take care of us. Mr. Berliner does not understand that humanity and the environment are not separate, that humans need each other, that helping each other and our environment are good things that will make us happy.

Beth Guiles

St. Regis Schools