July 16, 2007
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Environment
I was just reading an article about a man named Jeffrey Lee who is the senior custodian over land that is filled with uranium. An energy company wants to extract some of the uranium from that land that is worth more than $5 billion.
Jeffrey Lee refuses to allow them to extract the uranium and doesn’t care about the money he could gain. He has his own reasons for not wanting them to extract the uranium. Here is the link: Link
But the issue caused me to wonder about how committed people are to their environment ideals. Most people will tell you that they think it is wrong when oil is drilled on land that they think should be protected.
So lets try a hypothetical on the issue of the environment. Imagine that you owned a piece of land that was worth a few million dollars. Imagine someone wanted to drill on that land for oil or some other valuable material. The problem is that the land is only worth a few million if that material is extracted. But the land is not valuable otherwise. Now imagine that the drilling of that oil would disrupt the environment.
Would you sell land worth a few million if you knew that the people buying the land would cause harm to the environment?
Comments (104)
Yes.
No.
I hope that I would be able to stick to my ideals and NOT sell it to people who would harm the environment. I am pretty sure I’d be able to sell it to someone who would want to protect it. I may make less, but after a certain amount of money, isn’t that enough? Sometimes I think people are too money hungry.
Actually, I was thinking about it. I guess it really depends on how severe the damage would be to the enviroment. I mean, if we are talking complete destruction of the ecosystem, then no, but if its just in a few areas, than yes, I would sale portions of the land for it.
no, but the man looks pissed
Al Gore says, “No!”
no! i like earth.
probably, and that’s the problem with the expectation for consumers to solve the environmental problems themselves. the government and the companies have to hand it to consumers on a silver platter, under penalty of law, and it has to be easy, or consumers are not going to make the conscious choice. well, maybe a few will, but only the really hardcore ones, and there aren’t enough of them to make up for everyone else.
Probably.
Heck yes!
In most cases the experts who claim a certain action will cause serious harm to the environment are idiots. But the way you worded it, I would be the one who thinks that drilling on the land would cause harm. If I thought so, then no, I would ever allow it
The environment is overrated.
RYC: yeah, it really would be…Thats why I changed it…^ ^. Think about all you could do with that money. Oh, and THANK YOU for drink water that cost less then $3. Thank you so much.
I like the idea that he might give it to the parks system…but some big cooperations might have some other plans if’n they really want all that stuff…I am sorry I would not sell at any price…I would want sacrad ground left sacrad…not left to governments or big money hungry companys…Smile
Nope
The land my parents house in on. No way.
yes
No. Money is just money. The earth is all we have, and I aim to protect it.
I actually won a plot of land at an auction and Walmart offered to buy it so they could build one of their stores. I dislike Walmart so I declined.
Of course I would sell the land and take the money and not feel one bit guilty about it. For one thing I don’t buy into the environmentalist crap.
The environmental movement is the new home of the socialists/communists. It is just one more way to attack property rights of land owners. Saving this or that insect, rodent or animal or protect a flood plain or sand dune is just an excuse to tell people what they can or cannot do with their own property.
If I knew that it would harm the environment then no I would not sell it. I do however doubt that it would actually destroy the land and if it wouldn’t then I probably would sell.
I honestly have no idea. I probably wouldn’t, but I couldn’t give a sure answer either way.
I wouldn’t. But not because I don’t want the land to be polluted, but becuase I don’t want to help the oil componys
I’d try my best not to.
everyone has their price.
i like to think that mine is higher than a few million.
I would sell it, yeah! Let them use the environment. I could take that money and pay off me and my husband’s student loans, all my friends and families’ debts, pay for college, buy our church a new van, donate to KLOVE . . . I would just hope I wouldn’t come out like so many others have and just want more more more money.
No, I’d also hold out for more money. Maybe for retirement.
For that kind of money, there are few things I wouldn’t do. By the way, judging from what that dude looks like, I’d say he just doesn’t want them to find the bodies he’s buried there.
omg im the 30th comment
I Vote ENVIRONMENT!
That is amazing that he really is sticking to his ideals. I’d be hard pressed, but I think I could win out on not selling it. I’d probably try to find a better way to protect it than just me. I’d need back up to make sure I didn’t mess it up.
No. You ever hear about ANWR? I live up in Alaska. What people down in the lower 48 don’t know about ANWR is that it’s a barren wasteland with pretty much no animals around anywhere. Everyone down there has this weird misconception that it’s such a beautiful place and it will destroy the very image of it and kill all the animals – well, animals generally stay clear of that area.
I say get the money, and wait for the inevitable alternate energy that will come.
This is capitalism after all.
-David
Er, I meant yes.
-David
NO! NEVER! I’m originally from West Virginia and when I was little I saw the effects of strip mining for coal. Most of the strip mines of the 1970′s are just now being fixed up because of mandatory reclamation. Nowadays they are doing something even more destructive, mountaintop removal mining. If anyone thought strip mining was bad, mountaintop removal mining is worse! It hurts my heart and soul to know that the beautiful mountains of West Virginia are literally being destroyed. So NO I would NEVER sell any land for no amount of money just for it to be destroyed and for the environment to suffer. NEVER!
to be honest, if i had money to own land worth millions, that would mean i should already be rich enough to own land and more. money wouldn’t be so attractive if i already have it. so, my answer: no.
Yes! Because I’m an American, damnit, and God bless capitalism!
no.
Actually, its not very fair to think that its merely a choice between wealth and the environment. The crucial point here to me, is that this fellow there is satisfied with the way he’s living, fish and hunting to maintain his life, and because he is not exposed to pressure under mass media and peers to have had to dress himself in brand and style like most city people, he doesn’t see the point of giving up his land with invaluable price for that few millions. If, he was someone, supposingly starving and have no means of getting food/water for himself, i think he won’t be that firm on perserving the land when survival is already a problem. Its not about you being able to save the environment by doing your part, but rather can you afford to.
yes! YES! c’mon….anyone who says they wouldn’t is either not thinking or lying!
No way! We need more people like Mr. Lee here.
I wouldn’t mind selling the land in theory, especially if it was just an empty field or something. But the place where I grew up? You couldn’t pay me enough money to tear up the places I love.
What a cool guy!
Yes, I would…
And I don’t believe those who say no.
a lot would depend on my situation! If I was destitute with no friends or family, who knows? also, could be sold with various environmental agreements. Could lease it with such agreements. maybe not just this or that….many options
I’ll sell the land for a billion dollars and put half of that money towards making the world a better place.
Win win.
If the land is valuable b/c of oil, then you should hold out another 10-20+ years b/c it will only go up in value. Why sell out now?
I honestly don’t know. I’d love to say no, but honestly? I probably would. I’d need to face that situation first.
I suppose with that kind of money I could always move to a more beautiful, more secluded, bigger piece of land and surround myself with forest and water and be happy again, but I’d feel guilt about any harm those people did to the environment.
On the other hand, that isn’t the last piece of uranium on earth. If he won’t sell it, somebody else will sell THEIR land. Harm will be done regardless this man’s choice.
Props to him though!!
I’d take the 5 billion and give some of it to an environmental charity I suppose. That would help the guilt.
Oops, Keniiiiiii already said that.
I would hope I could say no…
Whoa… ominous picture. But good for him for sticking to his ideals.
I personally don’t think I could turn down $5 billion in his shoes… or even a few million in your hypothetical. I would want to get everything that land was worth if not more. I don’t think my commitment is as strong as that man’s, I think I’d do it. I grew up with not much $$ and have debts. I’d welcome the $$$.
No way!
well,truthfully,probably…
bull honkey. the environment ain’t gonna be harmed. sell it.
Hell yea! For 8 million sure!
sorry, 5 billion!
It will cost more than a few million to clean up the damage.
That’s a tough call…I would like to be able to say that I wouldnt…but thats a lot of money…Also…I would have to consider the all the GOOD things I could do with several million dollars… I really dont need that much money, and It could help a lot of other people…
Come on people, Look at the big picture. Don’t give an answer from your ideology. Tell us what you would really do.
I probably would….
Ideologically speaking: I think everyone would say no. Realistically: I think most would say yes, unless you already have a few mill…
I would not sell under any circumstances. Yes, it would be painful…especially since we sure could use the money to get our autistic child proper health care, a real education, and have money to place him in a good home when we are too old to care for him. I would simply find another way…like I am doing now.
I remember when you used to get like 200 or more comments. Have you lost your blog touch?
Sure…
The earth is going to burn up anyway, so what the point of trying to save it? I am here to use it.
wow. that is a great man! i think he should protect the land. if people drill everywhere then there wont be places people an just enjoy.
I gotta play the devil’s advocate….it should be considered that if you earned several million dollars, what if you could use that money to offset the environmental damage from the oil field? Also, don’t forget that the creation of an oil field would create jobs. So the hypothetical case is not really such a black and white choice. I think the case in the article is more clear cut because that guy has compelling cultural reasons not to sell.
Good for him! I’m so sick of the materialism of this world.
“Disrupt the environment” is too vague a term. It would depend on HOW it would disrupt the environment. . .If you just mean that it wouldn’t leave the land undisturbed, then yes, I’d let them drill on my land. It’s my land.
However, that works the other way too. That land belongs to Jeffrey What’s-his-name, and he certainly has the right to not let anyone extract uranium or anything else. It’s HIS land.
I’d sell part of it, but not the whole thing.
no way, Dan. actually I was watching Mr. Deeds with my Dad last night, where Adam Sandler inherits like $40 billion dollars. And I told my Daddy, I said, if I had that much money, or even half that much money, I would buy up a bunch of public land, and make it thereby private, just to ensure that it stayed protected. This man, Jeffrey, is doing the whole world a favor by refusing to be selfish and greedy. I want to hug him!
No, and that guy is VERY creepy.
I would most certainly not want to meet him in a dark alleyway. “You tryin’ to steal my uranium? HUH? HUH?!”
Although I do agree with the person above me completely.
Yes. There are far too many laws that would make them keep the environment clean in my backyard.
Those companies could spend that money on converting to ethanol instead and everyone would be happy.
I don’t know. I would like to think not.
i read the story— good for the man. i hope his beliefs remain there throughout his life.. minus the big blue-tongued lizard =O …and hope he can pass the land on to people who will also share his beliefs.. and not fall for greed.
as for me, i wouldn’t know what to to if it were me. it’s a lot of money.. but it will eventually be gone .. and there’s no easy way to take back the land that you’ve signed away the rights to, you know?
i’d take the money.. but only if there really isn’t big (environmental) harm in doing so, since everything we do causes environmental damage anyway—driving, factories, etc.
Hell, yes, I’d sell it!
That pic looks a little freaky…
my uncle saves and saves so that he can buy land in the wilderness to prevent urban development.
Earth first, we will strip mine the other planets one at a time.
No, I’d chill with my plot of land. There’s already enough disruption of the environment from human outgrowth – I’m not about to contribute to it in that manner.
No. While money is nice, I don’t think I could live with myself knowing I had caused harm to the environment on such a large scale.
Probably.
I don’t see how it would hurt the environment. Drilling for oil shouldn’t disrupt anything (oil wells?). I guess I can’t answer. Right now, in our situation, I would probably not sell, but hold on to the rights of ownership, but allowing them a right to drill taking a cut from all that is produced.
NO.
Here in Canada, well, NB at least, that kind of thing is not a huge choice. As it stands, companies can come & prospect on your land without your permission. If they find something that they want, they are supposed to notify you, but you cannot stop them is my understanding. It’s because the Earth (everything underground) is considered Crown land. It kind of sucks.
No.
They have a new deal in some places in the US where they will put the land under “Eminent Domain” if you don’t take what they offer :/ . If the Government really wants it, they will take it anyway.
I would like to think I would do what I truly beleived in but one never knows. I would try to think of another option tho.
Hmmm even though I am for the environment, I may bend…. not sure though.
And that photo is not very friendly.
Absolutely not….and for all the right reasons.
I’d like to say I wouldn’t sell the land, but of course you never know what you’ll do in a hypothetical situation until you face it in real life. This one I’m pretty sure I’d not sell the land, especially when I would know that it would hurt the environment. (people call me a tree-hugging hippie from time to time for that reason)
…and, on a completely random note, that photo is quite scary, isn’t it?
Dude, that seriously appears to be Australia. If that is the case, then he is one of the few lucky aboriginees who actually is in possession of their sacred land. He isn’t necessarily adhering to any environmental ideals, but rather to his ancestry. In aboriginee cultures, the territory that we would call their native land is imperative to their cultural identity. If he sold his land, he may as well sell his soul.
As for whether I would sell land for money…not for Uranium. I can’t think of a positive use of uranium. It would inevitably be used for evil, so I couldn’t support that. And mining for uranium is infinitely more damaging to the environment than drilling for oil. I COULD go for the oil, but since stripping is an integral part of the uranium mining process, I couldn’t justify that with my waning environmental stance. Perhaps if uranium were used to SAVE lives, rather than create bombs or–in the case of industrial grade uranium–to build other environmentally damaging machines and equipment, I would consider it. If uranium could be used to cure AIDS or cancer or…anything…I might actually consider it. I place life over the environment. But if it is the improvement of my own life versus the environment, I would have to consider what I would do with that money more than anything else.
Theoretically, if he is Australian, he could take the 5 billion and use that money to help other aboriginees to reacquire their native land throughout the continent. But that’s going above and beyond.
Good question!
Come on Dan, you’re better than this.
The article clearly states that Lee’s disinclination to sell the land isn’t environmentalism, it’s Respect.
Yes the land is ecologically sensitive. But to this guy, who owns it, it’s sacred. That land that everyone wants to make dirty power off of is full of burial grounds and other sites sacred to the religion of the his tribe. It’s also less than 3 km away from a huge tourist attraction and on the docket for becoming part of national reserve.
Surely in this age of ‘tolerance’ toward everyone you can’t steamroll sacred grounds… Here’s a question: if you found a massive diamond mine under the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, Would you smash it for 5 billion?
I would not. I feel that they need to really come up with alternate fuel. Like all these soybeans we seem to make other things out of, ie: tofu. Or corn or wheat or cow dung or whatever.
I think though that most would be singing this song to themselves, “COME LISTEN TO A STORY BOUT A MAN NAMED JED, POOR MOUNTAINEER BARELY KEPT HIS FAMILY FED, THEN ONE DAY HE WAS SHOOTIN AT SOME FOOD AND UP THROUGH THE GROUND CAME A BUBBLING CRUDE. OIL THAT IS, BLACK GOLD, TEXAS TEA” You’all get the idea.
Afraid not. So the govt. would condemn the land and take it.
Let’s weight the pro (MONEY and not just a little) or Environment (good to have but can’t pay the bills)..
Sorry kids, grandkids, etc.. im taking the money.. and since im such a guilty kinda gal i’d donate a few hundred thousands to my fav environmental group..
I don’t think it has anything to do with ideals. In fact if I were the FBI, I would be checking out ole’ Jeffrey’s banking situation. Perhaps he’s doing business with Iran or Syria. They didn’t want his land they just wanted some uranium, and he refuses? I don’t think so.
The enrichment process to convert it to U235 or U238 is something within both of these countries capabilities. They have the enrichment capablity, they just lack……you guessed it, Uranium!
Probably, although drilling oil doesn’t equal destroying the land.
no
Depends. Is it a lot of land? Is it home to lots of rare plants/animals? Is it a wildlife refuge/preserve?
He is scary.