Lack of Long-term gameplay in TS4

I think the new ecofootprint system can fit this discussion. I started playing of the polluted neighborhood in a rags to riches style just to witness the game pulling the footprint to neutral without my input super quickly. The same happened on the green footprint neighborhood, which as soon as I moved in turned into a neutral one without me even trying.
I felt like the game was autonomously trying to balance things out.