‘It came out of real frustration’: the 90s activist network that set fires to save a burning planet
Summary
The Earth Liberation Front (Elf) was a group of environmental activists in the 1990s who used arson and sabotage to fight against environmental destruction in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Their actions aimed to disrupt businesses harming nature, and they influenced later climate activist groups with similar goals about protecting the planet.Key Facts
- Elf was active mainly between 1995 and 2001, targeting businesses like fur farms, timber warehouses, and SUV dealerships.
- They caused over $12 million in damage in a 1998 arson attack on a ski resort in Vail, Colorado, to protect endangered animals.
- Elf members avoided violence against living beings but damaged property to protest ecological harm.
- The group operated with no formal leaders, following a “leaderless resistance” model.
- Their actions were inspired by frustration with mainstream environmental efforts, which focused on small personal changes like saving water and electricity.
- Elf grew out of Earth First!, a radical environmental movement based in Eugene, Oregon, a town with both strong environmental and logging communities.
- The group left messages like “YOU CANNOT CONTROL WHAT IS WILD!” to signal their cause.
- Modern climate groups like Extinction Rebellion and Sunrise Movement share some goals with Elf but use different tactics.
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