tree hugger

plural tree huggers · alternative treehugger · alternative tree-hugger

1. derogatoryslangAn environmental campaigner, especially one who aims to restrict logging and especially one who uses dramatic, attention-grabbing methods of obstruction.

   1 more example

   Animal liberationists like Rosmarino resented the tree huggers' insensitivity to animals and reluctance to risk jail time, while more mainstream environmentalists like AFR's Jeff Berman disagreed with the bunny huggers' wacky morality and in-your-face tactics. The two groups' differences were in full view as they teamed up to parade through Vail last winter.

   1999, Mother Jones Magazine (Mar–Apr 1999, page 64)

   Synonyms: eagle freak, greeniac, lentil-weaver, posy sniffer, prairie fairy, yoghurt-knitter

2. slangA hippie.

   She'd heard the term from American soldiers about these 'free love' people. 'Tree huggers' who reveled in sex, drink and drugs.

   2014, Zoe Ambler, The Road of Darkness

   2 more examples

   The idea of naturopathic doctors had always formed an image in my mind of old, bearded, tree-huggers who boiled roots and made poultices out of gross things to treat weird people who believed in that "natural" stuff.

   2005, Erin Bell, Miss Diagnosed: Unraveling Chronic Stress

   Until fairly recently, even the idea of a MBS connection was dismissed by Western medicine as the province of New Age tree huggers, so it had very little mainstream credibility.

   2020, D. L. Kline, Simple Spirituality