Nature’s avengers

by Lauren Tarshis

Many Americans make the decision to step onto what is called “the front lines” of the environmental movement. Such as the radical group Earth First, which along with the much larger Greenpeace specialises in “direct action” to save the environment.

Members of these organisations regularly put themselves at physical and legal risk to protect animals and nature. Greenpeace boats surround whaling ships and toxic-waste dumping barges. Their members stand between seals and hunters’ harpoons and hang from bridges to prevent nuclear battleships from entering harbours. Earth First activists chain themselves to logging equipment and camp out amid ancient redwood trees to prevent loggers from cutting them down. They also damage expensive logging and oil-company equipment.

Such extreme tactics have sparked a fierce debate within the environmental movement. Some see radical activists as fanatics who discredit the entire movement with their extreme and illegal tactics. Others see them as folk heroes who risk their lives to call attention to environmental wrongs.

But all experts acknowledge that in the face of a deepening environmental crisis around the world, radical environmentalism is a fast growing phenomenon. Greenpeace, now 20 years old, has 2.5 million members and has been gaining 77.000 more every month.

Environmentalists applaud the new environmental awareness in America and around the world. But many worry that it comes too late. Amid building up evidence of worsening global warming, holes in the ozone layer, animal and plant extinction, acid rain, some environmentalists feel a sense of urgency – even panic. “It’s a race against time.”

Earth First and Greenpeace campaigns are designed for attracting public’s attention. In December 1990, Greenpeace activists jumped out of helicopters to form a human blockade in front of a fleet of Japanese whaling ships. (Greenpeace stages at least 10 similar protests each month.)

Certainly, such activities attract attention. But do they actually protect the environment?

Exercises

1. Find in the article and learn the English equivalents of the following word-combinations:

1) спрыгивать c вертолетов; 2) быстро растущее явление; 3) дискредитировать целое движение; 4) образовать живую преграду; 5) окружать баржи с токсичными отходами; 6) углубляющийся экологический кризис; 7) народные герои; 8) привлечь внимание к экологическим проблемам; 9) экстремистская и противозаконная тактика; 10) помешать военным ядерным кораблям войти в порт; 11) вызвать ожесточенные споры.

Make up 1 sentence for oral translation with any of the items from the exercise.

2. Correct the sentences:

1. Radical environmentalists spoil oil logging equipment.

2. Radical environmentalists stand between hunters and seals’ harpoons.

3. Some see radical activists as fanatics, the other see them as foulk heros.

4. Amid building up evidence of worsening the global warming, holes in ozone layer, some environmentallists feel panic.

5. Radical environmentalism is a fast growing phenomena.

6. Such a tactic has sparked fierce debates within the green movement.

7. Greenpeace, now 200 years old, has 22.5 millions of members and has been gaining 77.000 more every year.

8. In December 1990 Greenpeace activists jumped over helicopters to form a humane blockade in front of Japanese merchant ships.