This isn't short term vs long term, it's city vs rural. If his mountain home is sufficiently low population density then everyone in the area could behave this

This isn't short term vs long term, it's city vs rural. If his mountain home is sufficiently low population density then everyone in the area could behave this way without causing meaningful harm. These ideas you have about the environment and the right way to behave are a cultural necessity because of the population density within cities.