But environmentalists is strange. The "tree-hugger" "hippie" phase was like the 70s-90s when envrionmentalism was still new and it was mostly young people trying to change society. You'd think environmental protection is sort of a given in today's society in that most of us agree on it and support it.
The high-level, abstract concept of environmentalism IS largely accepted today. People like getting out in the woods, not breathing smog, drinking clean water, keeping parks looking neat, and generally the "nice" side of the green movement.
What they don't like? Being forcibly prevented from building on their own land because some mouse or bird species was found there. Being taxed to "stop global warming" (as if they could, or should.) Facing pushy fanatics is one thing; when they get the law to enforce their opinions, beliefs and whims on others, people get rightfully pissed. They even get pissed seeing such nonsense happen to others. And this happens, to greater and lesser degrees, more often than you might think.