> In moderation is again key but doesn't seem to fit into anyone's ideological framework these days.
Well phrased. Too much reasoning these days proceeds backwards from ideological tautology.
Needless overapplication of broadleaf herbicides in pursuit of perfect US lawns has harmed biodiversity. [0]
Herbicide use has also allowed agricultural yields that would have been inconceivable decades ago. [1]
Both of these things can simultaneously be true: there's no need to start from "all chemicals bad" or "all chemicals good" and only accept facts which fit those beliefs.
[0] For anyone who wants to peer into the mountains of madness, ask a Florida lawn company what their recommended annual plan is. There's fertilizer and artificial irrigation (to grow grass at all in sandy, nutrient-poor soil), herbicide, fungicide (in case it happens to be hot and wet at the same time), and then resodding every few years anyway because something goes awry.
Well phrased. Too much reasoning these days proceeds backwards from ideological tautology.
Needless overapplication of broadleaf herbicides in pursuit of perfect US lawns has harmed biodiversity. [0]
Herbicide use has also allowed agricultural yields that would have been inconceivable decades ago. [1]
Both of these things can simultaneously be true: there's no need to start from "all chemicals bad" or "all chemicals good" and only accept facts which fit those beliefs.
[0] For anyone who wants to peer into the mountains of madness, ask a Florida lawn company what their recommended annual plan is. There's fertilizer and artificial irrigation (to grow grass at all in sandy, nutrient-poor soil), herbicide, fungicide (in case it happens to be hot and wet at the same time), and then resodding every few years anyway because something goes awry.
[1] https://ourworldindata.org/yields-vs-land-use-how-has-the-wo...