Politicians, talk to the youth more often for a realistic worldview

During our holiday, a tour through Spain, we spontaneously came into contact with three young people in Toledo. All three had a Moroccan background and were probably born in the Netherlands. Young as they were, they flew out to discover the world. One girl worked in a Dutch call center in Toledo, the other girl studied European Commercial Economics there and the boy was on holiday there.

It was nice to see how they live their lives and talk about them with enthusiasm. Such a spontaneous conversation gives us confidence in the future.

It would be nice if our politicians talked more often with youth about a realistic world view. I understand that it is a bit difficult if you have been walking with security guards around you for 20 years, but still.
Wim Geerts, Breda

Think along

Unilever weakens sustainable goals. This includes reducing plastic. I have a tip for Unilever. To do this, they should join forces with drugstore chains, which undoubtedly also want to contribute to a more sustainable society: replace the plastic shower and shampoo bottles with refillable bottles. Install taps in stores, such as those already in place for oils and chocolates, and impose a deposit fee on the bottles. That will certainly save a lot of plastic.

Let consumers think about these topics. I can’t be the only one with suggestions for a more sustainable world.
Annette Philix, Amersfoort

Idealistic

‘The Renkum model: with your living group in a luxury villa, sustainable and harmonious’, was the headline de Volkskrant. Six activists have bought a villa and now live together: ‘living in shared responsibility for each other and for the world’. It all sounds very idealistic. When reading it, it was immediately noticeable that the residents are only white (mostly PhD) academics. They have found a handy notary who has come up with a construction to avoid taxes. They took in a tenant to help with the mortgage (they claim the rental income is used for other purposes, but that’s just not how money works). Oh yeah, and some parents who had a barrel on the couch just collecting dust. But they do eat vegan, yes.

Chico Mendes was right: environmentalism without class struggle is just gardening.
Sjors Koppes, Rotterdam

Child ban

Letter writer Henny Goedemans criticizes taking children under ten to concerts. That shouldn’t be a problem; organizers can set a minimum age.

More difficult, but all the more necessary, is preventing the presence of children at demonstrations. They cannot yet have their own opinion on complex political matters, and they do not have sufficient legal capacity to decide on the risks associated with attending demonstrations.
Mira de Vries, Amstelveen

Lobby

I eat vegetarian myself and the future of smoked sausage doesn’t really interest me. What really amazes me, however, is how there are double standards. Added smoke flavorings are banned because they are possibly carcinogenic, while cigarettes contain substances that are 100 percent certain to be highly carcinogenic and can simply be sold. Apparently the tobacco industry lobbies better than Hema.
Masja Kloosterhof, Delfgauw

Mourning

Finally I was laughing my eyes out again. Thank you Paul Faassen for your perspective drawings in the Magazine of Friday April 26. After two and a half years of widowhood I was ready for it.
Irene Gret, Hilversum