It's not without controversy, and climbers are far from unanimous about it. The decision to bolt is definitely one that the climbing community at least takes se

It's not without controversy, and climbers are far from unanimous about it. The decision to bolt is definitely one that the climbing community at least takes seriously and has a vocabulary and some rubrics around (though admittedly there are factions of opinion on it). Generally the decision to bolt is favorable only when it's unsafe to climb with traditional gear. The impact that bolting has is rationalized worthwhile due to it's (arguably) low direct impact on the environment and the fact that sport climbing proliferates lots of outdoor enthusiasts with the attention and dollars that brings.