There's a big enviromental problem with the notion that things are either approved/acceptable or not; binary.
Neonicotinoids are probably good compared to a lot of alternatives. But by being one of few approved choices, they are used to such a huge extent that minor problems become major.
Another example is gasoline. It's very clean, especially with a catalytic converter. It's so clean that one of the worst things you can say about it is: if billions of people use gasoline, it upsets the balance of CO2.
If we use a little more variety, even if average "badness" seems worse, we will be better off. But our policies push us toward homogeneity.
Neonicotinoids are probably good compared to a lot of alternatives. But by being one of few approved choices, they are used to such a huge extent that minor problems become major.
Another example is gasoline. It's very clean, especially with a catalytic converter. It's so clean that one of the worst things you can say about it is: if billions of people use gasoline, it upsets the balance of CO2.
If we use a little more variety, even if average "badness" seems worse, we will be better off. But our policies push us toward homogeneity.