Mario Lalich/Getty
DCL
Ecotage is a portmanteau of "sabotage" and the prefix "eco-", and it is "intended to separate ecotage from other acts of sabotage which might be aimed at achieved other goals." Depending on one's perspective, eotage is also called "monkeywrenching" or "ecoterrorism." Either way, ecotage is "the commission of usually illegal acts of sabotage motivated by environmentalism, including the prevention of ecocide" and, as a term, "it goes back to 1972 and long predates the more recent neologism 'eco-terrorism'." According to its detractors, "the reverence for life professed by those who perform ecotage is not reflected in their disregard for property rights or willingness to risk the lives and safety of humans to make a political point." Supporters believe "this type of criticism puts more value on property than on life. Furthermore, most groups and individuals who engage in ecotage claim to take all necessary precautions to avoid causing injury or death to any humans."
