From a utilitarian point of view they definitely should. If, by using a piece of paper made by cutting down trees, they are able to save many more trees from being cut down then they should surely seize the opportunity and the loss of the tree used to make the paper is a sad but necessary sacrifice that has to be made for the greater good. Ideally, of course, they would use recycled paper and thereby prevent the cutting down of more trees. One must also consider the reason the protesters concerned object to the felling of trees. If they only object to cutting down the specific trees they are protesting about, which would be the case if for example they felt that the aesthetic of a neighbourhood would be worsened by some trees being cut down, then the use of other trees to make paper for their signs is in no way contradicting the ideology behind their objection. I have assumed that you meant paper when you stated wood, but the same principle would apply for wooden signs too.

by Anonymous 14 years ago