They don't learn to apologise to the plants, they just learn to be grateful for what they can take for "free". That probably doesn't fit into your tiny narrativ

They don't learn to apologise to the plants, they just learn to be grateful for what they can take for "free". That probably doesn't fit into your tiny narrative of "green activists" being all shamans who believe plants have feelings, so you extrapolate, project and make a fool of yourself.