Abbey's novel was one of the first American novels to present the various approaches to environmental activism, kickstarting a nationwide movement. Though each of the gang's members agree that "someone or something was changing things" (16) for the worse in the Southwestern desert, they don't all agree on how to handle these changes. Doc prefers "constructive vandalism" (112) against the "megalomaniacal megamachine" (167): the kind that damages property and environmentally-exploitative operations. Doc is against harm to humans, no matter how deserving, and destructive vandalism, which he calls "petty-bourgeois" (86). Doc, who believes "anarchy is not the answer" (74), and Bonnie begin their activism by tearing down roadside billboards. Smith, too, seems on board with this kind of activism. Despite his rage at developers, Smith simply prays for an act of God to destroy the bridge. His plan to destroy the Glen Canyon Dam does not seem to cause loss of human life.

Hayduke, on the other hand, prefers "what he calls “creative destruction'" (225). He advocates using dynamite frequently to "really blast this motherfucker" (89) and wouldn't care if his actions harmed humans. Additionally, Hayduke prefers to launch opportunistic environmental attacks, without concern for being caught. This attitude seems to come from the time he spent in Vietnam and the utterly violent anarchy he witnessed there as a POW.