Young people are often heralded for their good intentions and their love of social causes. What we're less experienced with, like all humans, is multiple-stage planning — the kind of forethought it takes to anticipate not just what to do, but the unintended consequences of doing it.
The issues we're most passionate about — or afraid of — are the hardest to see clearly. For example, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was dismissive of those who point out "the costs" of combating climate change.
Her certainty that anticipated problems years down the road necessitate immediate sacrifice ignores the principle of unseen consequences. It feels good to advocate for immediate, sweeping change, but the costs — the trade-offs — of implementing long-term climate plans would be near-term tragedy for millions around the world.
Comment: The author has a point - even if she sometimes uses bad examples (like the use of cancer-causing pesticides) to make it. Without objective data and a perspective that isn't motivated by the feel-good emotions of "doing good", or a power and profit motive that lies behind many of those advocating for sweeping economic and environmental policies, people are quite likely to make quality of life worse for many.