Fight plastics with the truth

Sir, – In your article (“Environmentalists back bid to ban plastic straws”, The Courier, January 9) SNP MSP Kate Forbes is quoted as saying in Scotland we may consume £3 billion of plastic straws in a year, at a rate of 1.6 straws per person per day.

A very quick calculation reveals, based on a population of 5,373 million, a cost to each person of 95 pence.

Do plastic straws cost 95p each???

If politicians want to be taken seriously, then they must produce realistic statistics, and not just throw out scaremongering figures which will certainly not attract the public’s attention.

We do have a serious problem; we are a disposable society and we must all take responsibility for our actions.

Scaremongering is not the way. Allan Smith. 8 Reed Crescent, Laurencekirk .