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Jennie's avatar

You just hit the nail on the head about why I'm reluctant to consider myself an environmentalist. The radicals just scream about how we must do SOMETHING. RIGHT.NOW!! without considering the ramifications of their actions. It often feels to me like we're constantly closing the barn door after the horse runs out. Case in point, the total ban on synthetic fertilizers in the Netherlands - clearly we need to regulate our nitrogen output, but to just slam a fist down and completely ban them with no alternatives was shortsighted at best. Generally things go sideways with an all or nothing approach, but sadly this is what the world seems to favor these days.

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Anne Therese Gennari's avatar

I'm so glad it resonated Jennie and yes, I couldn't agree more! I see a lot of similar acts happening around the energy transition too, which is of course important but if we just cut off instead of phasing out, we run the risk of hitting walls and backtracking!

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Jennie's avatar

Exactly! And then people will just rebel against any positive changes that could be made. I think we all need to take a step back, take a deep breath and work to make a change without the hysteria.

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Anne Therese Gennari's avatar

1000% -- there's courage in slowing down, but it's so needed!

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Jennie's avatar

You just hit the nail on the head about why I'm reluctant to consider myself an environmentalist. The radicals just scream about how we must do SOMETHING. RIGHT.NOW!! without considering the ramifications of their actions. It often feels to me like we're constantly closing the barn door after the horse runs out. Case in point, the total ban on synthetic fertilizers in the Netherlands - clearly we need to regulate our nitrogen output, but to just slam a fist down and completely ban them with no alternatives was shortsighted at best. Generally things go sideways with an all or nothing approach, but sadly this is what the world seems to favor these days.

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