Symbolically destroying small amounts of resources and depriving yourself and family of a clean environment to essentially complain. Hmm maybe scorched earth is

Symbolically destroying small amounts of resources and depriving yourself and family of a clean environment to essentially complain. Hmm maybe scorched earth is the better description of whats going on here? Salting the earth is done by the aggressor, scorching the earth is done by the retreating party. I think it still fits.