scary property rts folks

so i'm writing a paper this term on Locke's influence on Supreme Court takings clause jurisprudence. This means I'm reading a lot of Richard Epstein - who believes that ALL environmental regulations are takings of private property (except those regulating common law nuisances so to give him credit at least he wouldn't find the clean air act a violation of the 5th Amendment) .

And the sad thing is there are folks scarier than Epstein out there expounding their views on the unsuspecting public -- check out http://www.johnlocke.org/

WHY may I ask is property so darn important to these people? Don't they see the environment crumbling around them?

Maybe my roommate is right in hoping for a huge natural disaster to wipe out the planet!