But unless the mediators are skilled almost beyond belief, the power imbalances in such situations are often impossible to correct. These imbalances, however, can be corrected. Just not at the table. They can be corrected in front of the camera, in the op-ed pages, in front of city council and county commission buildings. Opposition to environmentalists is not limited to the corporate world.
Increased collaboration is vital.
But this is a fight, make no mistake about it. This means we have to fight to get our message out. We must fight intelligently and strategically, but the point is that we need to fight. Sometimes conflict is a good thing. As long as it doesn't escalate to violence, debate over issues is healthy.