Environmentalists are annoying me, how can I silence them?

I haven't been very environment-friendly and now the environmentalists are on my heels. My reputation with them is very low, especially because I cut some trees and dug for gold.

What's the best way to get back on their good side?

I tried recycling and putting up some gardens, but that doesn't really seem to be enough to make them like me again.

Are there any tricks to make environmentalists happy while still making a profit with the earth's natural resources?

Solution 1:

Planting trees, building botanical gardens and issuing anti-pollution edicts helps.

Make sure all your applicable industries have pollution-reducing options enabled; build a garbage dump somewhere out of sight of the city but within operating reach, and have it recycle and use high temperature burners.

Praise the environmentalists during your speeches - it's a +10 bonus that doesn't cost you anything.

Try not to bulldoze areas of high natural beauty for industry sites.

Keep an eye out for subtasks from their faction; they may not always be things you /want/ to do, but it's worth hearing them out to see what they want.

EDIT: Can't remember why I forgot to add this originally, but shacks cause lots of pollution. Make sure everyone has somewhere at least halfway decent to live.

Solution 2:

If all else fails, you can always just perform the Outlaw Faction edict and get rid of them entirely. You just need a little preparation in advance with some secret police and a sizable army to quell any possible rebellion.

Solution 3:

Here are some things to try.

• Make sure you have enough recycling, a large city may need several dumps. There is an overlay that shows garbage coverage.

• Pass some of the environmentally friendly edicts like Pollution control and Anti-Litter ordinance.

• Watch for optional tasks that can boost your faction rep quickly.

• Take a look at the faction leader and see what else he is interested in. If you can make him generally happy, it will improve your relationship with the faction overall. If all else fails, you can always try bribing him.

• Don't worry about them. You don't need to please all the factions all the time. If they start performing eco-protests, just make some of them disappear and they should be scared off.