Drew Pogge believes he is without friends, finding himself "magnetically repelled" by both environmentalists and good ol' boys because of his empathy for both (HCN, 3/31/08). He is, however, sadly mistaken. He is magnetically repelled because of the stereotypes he insists on articulating. He writes that the conservation movement is often "tainted with hypocrisy" and his redneck friends spend more time in the natural world than the "self-proclaimed environmentalist." He asks if any of us "really know what (we're) talking about." Here's a little bit of what I think I know: Regardless of how much time a motorized gearhead may spend in the outdoors, wanton destruction is simply wanton destruction, and there is no excuse for it, ever. And regardless of how much time an environmentalist may spend in the office, respect and love for all of creation is not hypocrisy. All the environmentalists I know would certainly rather spend more time in the outdoors than in the office, but we all make our respective deals with the devil when it comes to making a living. At least those office-bound environmentalists are contributing to a healthier environment and not out there tearing it up.

Evan Cantor Boulder, Colorado