Judge decides Greenness is godliness

Is environmentalism becoming the new gospel of the 21st century? It might well appear so in the United Kingdom, where a judge has ruled that “green beliefs deserve the same protection in the workplace as religious convictions,” headlines the Independent. The landmark ruling follows a suit launched by Tim Nicholson, a former property company executive, who claims that his dismissal last year was a direct result of his green opinions – a source of conflict between him and the company’s senior executives. At an employment tribunal Mr Nicholson, the London daily reports, “asked the court to allow him to use special legislation that protects people's rights to hold religious and philosophical beliefs at work.” The decision means that workers victimised for holding strong views on how a company should deal with cutting carbon emissions or waste disposal, can bring compensation claims against employers. Mr Nicholson beliefs affect his whole life, the Independent pursues. “He no longer travels in aeroplanes, has renovated his home to be more eco-friendly and says he fears for the future of the human race."