Jewish Environmentalism

Hi,

"The root of this mitzvah [of not destroying fruit trees] is this: To teach us to love good and benefit, and to cling to it, and so goodness will cling to us and we will distance ourselves from evil and destruction.

"This is the path of the pious and people of great deeds; they love peace and are happy in the benefit of others, and they draw others close to Torah. They will not destroy anything, even a mustard seed, and they will be pained by any loss or destruction they see. If they can rescue anything from destruction, they will turn all of their strength to that goal. The wicked, brothers of vandals, are not like this; they rejoice at the destruction of the world, and they themselves destroy it."

(Sefer haChinuch, Mitzvah 529)

Have a great day,
Mordechai