Paine is the father of Noah and Abbey and the husband of Donna. He is an idealist who champions a variety of causes related to protecting the environment. Because Paine cares so deeply about ecological destruction and animal abuse, he lets his feelings run away with him and engages in impulsive and illegal behavior.

His misguided attempt to stop Dusty Muleman from dumping human waste into the bay by burning his casino boat lands Paine in jail. Although Paine feels justified in taking extreme actions, his behavior puts a strain on his family. By the end of the story, he learns to temper his fiery enthusiasm and tries to find more constructive solutions to environmental problems. 

Dusty was once Paine’s equal since they both started out as fishing guides, but he engages in underhanded deals that have allowed him to prosper and open a gambling casino on Indian lands. Dusty wants to be a bigshot and uses blackmail and bribery to achieve his ends. His appalling lack of concern for the environment is evidenced by his willingness to empty human waste from the casino’s toilets into a national marine sanctuary, thereby endangering marine life as well as the children who swim at local beaches.