In the first part of this post, I gave a broad definition of an environmentalist as “someone who cares deeply about the environment, and is prepared to do all he or she can to protect and enhance it”. Interestingly, since writing that, I have come across a number of articles discussing the difference between the “conservationist” of the first 70 years of the 20th century and the “environmentalist” who was invented in the late 60s. To quote one explanation of the difference:
“In the past, conservationists were concerned with leaving the environment in a better state than the condition he or she found it. The contemporary environmentalism movement, on the other hand, increasingly seems to view humankind as an inherently intrusive interloper upon nature. This may explain why the debate on environmental issues has become increasingly polarised”.
Posted by matthewhenderson 
