Far from being ecologically sensitive and seeking a balanced approach, many of these eco-groups verge on the neo-Luddite. Inflicting higher energy costs achieves that because fewer people will be able to afford vehicles, transportation, computers, etc., because it will cost ever more to use them and restricts use to the few that can.

A few years back, Dr. Thomas Sowell made close to the same point, using the National Parks as his focus. By creating rules that exclude the less financially well off in the name of “conservation”, the elites get to enjoy our national parks undisturbed by the hoi-poloi. The same with building codes and anti-sprawl laws. By keeping the population density in certain desireable areas at an artificial low with “anti-sprawl” laws and city planning, the cost of existing property spirals upwards, keeping the current land owners fat, happy and rich, and excluding the great unwashed.