Which of the following environmental thinkers advocated preservation rather than conservation? Gifford Pinchot William H. Taft John Muir Alice Hamilton

## Step 1<br />The question asks us to identify the environmental thinker who advocated for preservation rather than conservation. The options provided are Gifford Pinchot, William H. Taft, John Muir, and Alice Hamilton.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />Gifford Pinchot was a proponent of conservation, which involves the sustainable use of natural resources. He did not advocate for preservation.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />William H. Taft, the 27th President of the United States, was not a significant figure in the environmental movement.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />Alice Hamilton was a physician and a pioneer in the field of occupational health. Her work was primarily focused on the health hazards in industrial workplaces, not on environmental preservation.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />John Muir, on the other hand, was a Scottish-American naturalist, author, and early advocate for wilderness preservation in the United States. He is known for his advocacy for the preservation of wilderness in the United States, particularly the Yosemite Valley. His philosophy was that nature should be preserved for its own sake, not just for human use, which is the essence of preservation.