So, what steps do you think environmental activists could take, independent of others, that might alleviate the ill-will that much of society seems to have for them?
I can't say that environmental activists are creating a backlash that is greater or less than the awareness they create. Nor can you.
Fair enough point, considering that quantifying that would be quite subjective in the first place.
Yet the ill-will is there, and is having a notable impact.
If there were steps that activists could take on their own that could lessen the generation of ill-will (without a disproportionate expenditure of effort to do so,) then wouldn't it make sense for the activists to take such steps?