I'm sure I'm not the only one who’s been following the commentaries on the trade tariffs being considered by US President Donald Trump along with the potentially retaliatory measures other countries' leaders might decide to make. What's been going on reminded me of a piece I wrote nine years ago, regarding the transportation of live animal 'stock' between different countries, which read: 'Maybe I'm being naive here but I just read that continental EU exports twice as much 'beef' to the UK as we do to them. Gather it's a similar story with other live animals. As well as causing extra unnecessary suffering, surely this adds to the cost, while polluting the environment and increasing road traffic. If we want to eat meat, why can't we all eat our own? Why the crossover?’ 

  

I've been feeling the same sort of sentiment over these tariffs. There's been what I consider to be a badly thought-through headlong rush by some governments to achieve 'Net Zero'. This is damaging economies and making the lives of billions of ordinary people harder than they need be, in terms of rising costs, shortages of essential goods and services plus an understandable fear of how we'll cope with what's being imposed upon us. Since Trump first publicly mooted his ideas on increasing trading tariffs, my thoughts have been that if countries were to impose harsh tariffs on one another, we'd all be forced into manufacturing our own products in our own countries where possible. I realise some countries don't have the resources to be able to manufacture everything they need, but in my view, this is where trade should kick in. If the UK is able, for example, to manufacture its own steel, why close down all the steel plants and import the stuff from places like China? The same amount of steel will still be produced but it will happen in a different part of the world. And then it will need shipping via land and sea, which will waste enormous amounts of fuel and damage the environment too. And let’s also consider the health of those living and working where all these goods are being produced. Imagine the pollution! Much of current Net Zero thinking is akin to sweeping the dust under the rug, in my view. We need a different approach. 

  

Like him or loathe him, I feel that Trump might well be doing more to save the planet with his tariffs, than any of the Net Zero fanatics are likely to achieve. And I’ll say it again. We all need to use less. ‘Make do and mend’, as our ancestors used to. Pass things on that we don’t need, to others who do. Repurpose things. Make less and waste less. That’s the way forward. And if you think I’m being naive, do feel free to let me know…