Final answer:
Activists are the group most identified with direct action for environmental causes, playing a key role in the environmentalism movement and advocating for change through protests and policy influence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The group most identified with direct action for environmental causes is d) Activists. Activists have played a crucial role in promoting environmental causes and engaging in direct action to protect the environment, especially from the 1960s through the 1980s. During this time, the environmentalism movement gained prominence due to growing concerns over issues like overpopulation, shrinking food supplies, and later global warming.
Environmentalists and activists worked to bring attention to these issues and drive policy changes through various forms of protest and direct action. Efforts to balance conservation and human welfare sometimes led to debates and negotiations, as exemplified by the tradeoff scenarios involving government regulations, protection of public lands, and various interest groups. Moreover, the environmental movement faced challenges when its concerns clashed with the interests of developing countries seeking economic growth.
Public interest groups, including those concerned with environmentalism like Earthfirst, have historically been involved in advocacy, research, and actions to promote policies aligned with their environmental goals.