Sir, – Congratulations to the pupils of Coupar Angus primary for, as reported in your Saturday edition, helping to put in place a new information panel at their Butterybank Community Woodland (“Youngsters’ helping hand with info board” The Courier, September 29).
Shame on Perth and Kinross Council for their continuing failure to do this at the world famous but locally ignored Meikleour Beech Hedge.
We have recently travelled to Northern Ireland and visited the Antrim Coast.
From more than 10 miles away there are at least a hundred signs pointing tourists to the Giant’s Causeway.
The result was that tourists were swarming by the bus and carload all over the site. Yet the locals told us the exploitation of this natural asset is of recent vintage.
We met many other tourists from far flung parts who were “doing” Ireland and Scotland. None were visiting Perthshire: “What have you got there to see?”
My wife and I went to climb Dunsinane Hill recently.
We know which hill it is. It is magnificent to look at: it is a gentle climb to view the ancient ramparts of the Hill Fort (whether it was Macbeth’s Castle or not) and the views, especially towards Birnam Wood are truly spectacular.
But finding the access and path was a huge problem. Like the Beech Hedge, there is not a single direction post on any roadway. At the second attempt we got it. No tourist could ever have found it.
Yet it is known about world wide – much more so than the Giant’s Causeway. It is good to read in your pages that the new chief executive of Perth and Kinross Council, Karen Reid, plans big events to bring tourists to our area.
Surely, she should also be seeking fully to exploit and promote the assets which we already have.
One last thought. Has anyone in our local authority ever heard of the Cleaven Dyke?
Alastair H Anderson.
Viewmount,
Bellwood Park,
Perth.
The people are speaking
Sir, – When up to 100,000 people, coming from all areas of Scotland and all areas of life, congregate in Edinburgh for a happy and trouble-free march, as happened last Saturday, October 6, with the latest All Under One Banner march, one thing becomes abundantly clear, even to those sitting on the fence in the independence debate.
The will of the Scottish people regarding Scottish independence, despite the ever increasing desperate statements from Opposition parties, is far from settled.
Instead of closing down debate why don’t they join in?
Or are the arguments for staying in this union of unequals as empty as their soundbites?
Graeme Finnie.
Balgillo,
Albert Street,
Blairgowrie.
Thanks to kind Ferry folk
Sir, – May I, through your Letters page, thank the kind folk who came to my husband’s aid when he had a nasty fall in Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, on Monday October 1.
Strangers immediately rallied to help, from the “first aider” from Marks & Spencer, the delivery driver from Boots, the person who went to the YMCA for tissues, the kind person who brought my husband home and the nurse from Monifieth Health Centre.
You were all wonderful!
In addition, I am happy to report my husband is now well on the road to recovery.
Mrs Muriel Beaton.
Claypotts Road,
Broughty Ferry.
Climate has always changed
Sir, – It’s that time of year again – members of the liberal metropolitan elite, the high priests of “settled science”, jet off to a junket and warn of the man-made hell of climate change unless we do as they say, which will set back economic development by decades and lead to an energy crisis.
The climate has always been changing and will continue to change long after humanity has disappeared from the planet.
The predictions of the alarmists have been proved wrong so often that one wonders why governments continue to fund their research programmes with such largesse.
What is most disturbing about the green industrial complex is the way in which dissent has been crushed and scepticism, which is essential to the scientific method, been marginalised.
To illustrate this point, earlier this year the BBC circulated a memo to staff stating that the science was settled and balance between alarmists and sceptics did not need to be achieved.
William Loneskie.
Amulree,
Justice Park,
Lauder,
Scottish Borders.
Infrastructure is the climate key
Sir, – It isn’t just greater effort to reduce emissions that we need but a change in the way society and the economy works. I say this with particular reference to electrification of road transport, which continues to facilitate our modern economies, and is the biggest single cause world wide of the increasing CO2 levels.
Many decry our use of fossil fuels, and urge a move to electric propulsion.
However they continue to focus on the vehicles themselves and hitherto ignore where the real problem lies.
Across the UK we have, for the last 10 years or so, used nearly 500TWH (ref RAC Foundation) of energy for transport purposes.
If we were to change to electric vehicles then this additional energy has to be found from somewhere, and in broad terms will require up to an additional 19,000 wind turbines to be installed.
This is, however, only part of the problem as the ability to refuel (ie recharge) is constrained by the rate at which batteries can be charged, as well getting that power to them, requiring high voltages and high currents. And, not least, improve this capability for use during emergency situations and in remote locations.
Instead of exhorting people to purchase niche and often impractical vehicles, which in one form or other have existed for well over 100 years, significant effort needs to be expended on the infrastructure, which is required to make people willing to make the technology change.
Without suitable infrastructure why should anyone change?
Nick Cole.
Balmacron Farmhouse,
Meigle,
Perthshire.
Warming? It’s beyond man
Sir, – With all the climate-related material in the media just now it’s obvious that the next international climate junket is imminent.
But let’s remember that the man-made global warming theory has never been proven.
Indeed many scientists think that there has been no significant warming.
In 1972 scientist John Sawyer published a paper suggesting that an increase in atmospheric CO2 due to human activity would lead to an increase in global temperatures.
In 2003 Nir Shaviv published a scientific study suggesting that 66% of climate variation could be attributed to cosmic ray flux.
He states that “there is no substantial evidence which proves that CO2 and other greenhouse gases are the primary cause for the warming”.
In 2017 scientists Nikolov and Zeller published a paper suggesting that equilibrium temperatures are dependent on two variables: top of atmosphere solar irradiance and surface atmospheric pressure. They state that the greenhouse effect has been misrepresented to the public and is “independent of atmospheric composition”.
In other words, it doesn’t matter how much CO2 there is.
I could go on.
It is absurd that government policy is based on just one theory.
Geoff Moore.
Braeface Pk,
Alness,
Highland.