This is an example of loaded words and phrases. In this excerpt, the author describes the effect of oil drilling in the Tongass National Forest. However, he does not describe this in neutral terms. Instead, the author employs loaded language. Loaded language is that which carries a strong positive or negative connotation. This language tends to be very persuasive. In this case, the word "pristine" conveys a particularly positive view of the forest, while the word "ruinous" conveys a particularly negative one.
