Sensible steps to protect planet

Sir, – In reference to Craig Smith’s article, “Fight for climate crisis needs more friends, not enemies”, The Courier, October 21, regarding the recent Extinction Rebellion demonstrations.

Craig Smith was very diplomatic.

Firstly, I think people need to do more in the home to protect the environment.

This includes recycling, reducing wasteful consumerism, and cutting down or eradicating purchases of single use plastic.

In addition, we should be using energy efficient electrical goods, and keeping food waste to a minimum, to name a few measures.

Unfortunately some statements made in the climate change debate recently are a gross exaggeration of how climate change will affect us.

For example, the addresses given to children taking days off school in climate change protests.

Telling them they will probably die in the next 10 years is more likely to cause mass hysteria than an acute awareness of their personal responsibility to make a positive change.

Secondly, do or have any of the Extinction Rebellion demonstrators ever used disposable nappies? How complete is their commitment to the cause?

And what of natural phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions?

Are we to just keep our fingers crossed that none of the active volcanoes in the world erupt?

Krakatoa in the Sea of Java erupted in the late 1800s, blocking out the sun for almost six months and creating more harmful emissions and environmental damage than the industrial world did in the whole of the 19th Century.

It’s fantastic that children are growing up with an awareness of protecting and preserving the environment.

But rather than them bunking off school, why don’t schools have a day where they go to their local beaches with bin liners and a gripper to collect all the harmful plastics that make their way into our oceans, killing turtles, seals etc and poisoning our fish. Elizabeth Moffat. Lochgelly,

Fife.