Dealing with environmental lawsuits and grassroots resistance is

In the words of Michael Shellenberger, we hear a warning wrapped in wisdom: “Dealing with environmental lawsuits and grassroots resistance is expensive. Industrial wind and solar developers have to hire lawyers, public relations specialists, and scientists willing to testify that this or that project poses only a modest threat to endangered birds and bats.” These words are not merely commentary; they are an echo of the eternal struggle between human ambition and the guardianship of the earth. Like the ancients who spoke of balance between heaven and soil, Shellenberger reminds us that even those who come cloaked in the banner of progress must reckon with the cost of their deeds upon creation.

In this utterance lies the tension of our age: industrial wind and solar developers are seen as bringers of clean power, yet their work summons resistance from the people and the creatures whose homes stand in the shadow of their machines. The lawsuits, the public relations battles, the armies of scientists testifying—all of these are signs that progress never moves forward in silence. The earth herself raises her voice through the wings of birds and bats, whispering of danger, reminding humanity that not even the greenest of technologies is without consequence.

Consider the tale of the great American West, where the mighty Hoover Dam rose upon the Colorado River. It brought light, water, and prosperity, yet at the same time, it silenced the river’s ancient song, choking ecosystems that had thrived for millennia. Fish species dwindled, the land downstream grew thirsty, and the voices of indigenous peoples cried out in lament. Just as the dam reshaped the river, so too do modern wind turbines and solar farms reshape the skies and deserts, reminding us that every gift of energy carries with it a price etched upon the natural world.

Yet we must not read Shellenberger’s words as condemnation alone. No, they are a call to vigilance, a reminder that humanity’s stewardship must be honest and humble. To pretend that renewable energy is without shadow is to fall into the trap of hubris. The true path of wisdom lies in seeing clearly: to acknowledge that progress is costly, and that those costs must be borne with responsibility rather than hidden behind the masks of hired tongues and polished reports.

And what of the grassroots resistance? It is the cry of ordinary men and women, bound not by wealth but by love of place. They are like the guardians of old villages who stood against invading armies, not for conquest, but for the soil beneath their feet, the rivers that fed their children, and the skies under which their ancestors slept. Their lawsuits, their protests, their unyielding voices remind the mighty that no empire of technology may trample over the sacred bonds between life and land without challenge.

The lesson, then, is clear: we must walk with both ambition and reverence. Progress is not the enemy of nature, but when blinded by pride, it becomes a thief. Let each man and woman look upon Shellenberger’s words and ask: What am I building, and what am I destroying? If we wish for true renewal, let it not only be in the power that lights our homes, but also in the covenant we keep with the earth.

In our daily lives, let us take up this teaching. Support energy projects that are not only clean but also thoughtful in their design. Ask of leaders and corporations not only promises of power, but proofs of protection for wildlife and community. Plant trees where forests are thinned, protect rivers from waste, and learn the names of the creatures whose voices may be silenced by our machines. In this way, we become not merely consumers of energy but guardians of life.

For the ancients would tell us: to build without wisdom is to invite ruin, but to build with care is to join the eternal song of the world. Let Shellenberger’s warning guide us—so that our towers of wind and fields of glass may shine not as monuments to conquest, but as symbols of harmony between man, beast, and the earth that bears us all.