Letters: Fuel options

Sir: It is easy to propose answers to the environmental damage caused by power generation without considering the practicalities. Your leading article of 4 January proposes a simple answer: coal and nuclear bad; renewables and domestic generation good.

Renewables have an important part to play, but cannot, with current and near-term technologies, replace all coal and nuclear power stations. Wind is available only when the wind blows. Biomass is at least controllable, but we do not have enough land for biomass to replace fossil and nuclear fuel.

Domestic generation also has a part to play. Unfortunately domestic wind is unlikely to make a significant impact on our energy needs. I think everyone has been disappointed with the contribution that such generation now appears to be capable of making. Solar cells could eventually provide some of the answer, but at the moment they are still expensive. Domestic combined heat and power looks promising. I would certainly consider it when I need to replace my current boiler, but it may not yet be financially viable.

Anyway, let us assume that some form of domestic generation becomes practicable but requires sales of excess electricity ("spill") to be financially viable. There are two problems here. First, everyone will want to sell their spill at the same time, when demand is at a low point (typically, overnight). And because this spill is an uncontrolled input to the system, keeping the system stable and secure could increase the costs.

So, what is the answer? Short- to mid-term it must be to keep a reasonable balance of generation (nuclear, coal, gas, renewables, domestic). We must keep a core capability of fully controllable generation (coal, gas and nuclear). Longer-term we should consider other technologies, such as solar-heat generation in North Africa for export to Europe, that can reduce our reliance on coal, gas and nuclear.

Simply saying that we should rely on renewables and domestic generation to replace dirty coal is not credible.

David H Clarke

Royston, Hertfordshire

Sir: Frank Moran's letter (31 December) makes a convincing case for the possibility of renewables meeting current demands. Unfortunately, perpetual economic growth requires the production of ever more items for ever more people, and this will require ever more energy, inevitably outstripping the capacity of renewables. Tackling climate change requires us then to come up with an alternative model to the current growth model of economics. Now, there's a challenge for the new year!

Adrian Crofton

Aberdeen

Can consumers end cruelty to chickens?

Sir: Your admirable campaign on battery chickens (4 January) really does need to result in political action, since I am very dubious about the effectiveness of individual consumer action.

Short of becoming a vegetarian, the individual often has few options. We would, from choice, always buy free-range and be prepared to pay more for it, but butchers are often deliberately vague about the provenance of their products, and most supermarkets hold such a tiny proportion of free-range chicken that they are often out of stock as at our local, otherwise admirable, Sainsburys.

Chicken aside, who knows what production methods lie behind standard bacon products. We are surrounded by North Norfolk pigs grubbing around in spacious fields, but I suspect the average bacon rasher in local supermarkets comes from pigs bred in cramped Dutch or Danish sheds.

If one eats out a lot, it is a fair bet that all but the most expensive restaurants use battery chickens. I fancy one would get fairly strange looks if one asked for a free-range chicken Madras. Apart from not eating out in modestly-priced restaurants, one has absolutely no power to influence this.

Gavin Turner

Gunton, Norfolk

Sir: I applaud your campaign against the ill-treatment of factory-farmed chickens. Although I believe it is our right to eat animals (I eat organic meat and enjoy it) we have an ethical responsibility to minimise suffering during their short lives.

The fast-food industry, supermarkets and a large part of the general public are causing the intense pain and misery of such animals. Free-range conditions should be the legal minimum (and organic the long-term goal).

I wonder how many people would buy "chicken burgers" if they had to watch videos of the poor, wretched animals while queueing for their order? Sadly some wouldn't care, but others might. At the very least, the packaging of such food from fast-food outlets should be labelled with both the type of farm the chicken comes from and its national origin. The very worst thing your campaign might lead to would be the closure of the British industry and the further outsourcing to eastern Europe, where conditions are even worse.

Richard Nickalls

Stourbridge, West Midlands

Gays, goyim and plenty of fools

Sir: I'm puzzled by John McHale's connection (Letters, 2 January) between the Yiddish word goy and the English word "gay" via an old German word for prostitute (Gaye).

Yiddish has several ancestors as a language; many words are of German origin, but there is a great deal of Hebrew. The origin of goy is taken from the Hebrew word goy, which means a nation (plural goyim). This entered Yiddish directly from the Old Testament, where it appears many times. Nor do I believe that goy has ever been used as a word to describe a "fool" as he claims. Yiddish is blessed with plenty of other words that could be interpreted to mean fool klutz, shmendrik, shmo, shmegege, putz, shmuck, lek-ish, shlub while the word in Yiddish for prostitute is kurveh.

Ashley Grossman

Barnet, Hertfordshire

Slovenia shows Scotland the way

Sir: While we debate our nation's constitutional future, it is interesting to note Slovenia's position as the first of the new member states to hold the presidency of the European Union, while the two Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus join the Eurozone.

With a population of two million, less than half that of Scotland, Slovenia will be holding the presidency in the first half of 2008, a nation that joined the EU only three years ago. In this period, it is expected that Slovenia will preside over the ratification of the EU Reform Treaty by member states, and the enlargement of the EU to the western Balkans, including the challenges faced by the potential independence of Kosovo. Moreover, Slovenia will attempt to follow up on the climate change and energy policy goals outlined by the previous German presidency

For the next six months, Slovenia will be one of the most powerful countries in Europe, a clear example of how smaller countries can influence and set the agenda, while Scotland looks on from the sidelines.

Alex Orr

Edinburgh

A chance to help migrant workers

Sir: Your report on the exploitation of US migrant workers picking fruit for America and Britain (19 December) represents another example of what became a systemic trend throughout last year.

This trend has exposed scandals in sectors ranging from fruit and meat to flowers and clothes, where cheap high-street prices depend on poor wages and conditions, whether for migrant workers in the UK or the US, or for people in developing countries.

For more than a decade, the voluntary approach of encouraging British companies to clean up their act, rather than legislation to guarantee positive change, has produced little or no improvement. Now Gordon Brown is reviving the discredited notion of "partnership" with corporate interests.

This year presents a golden opportunity for the Labour government to introduce the binding regulation needed, as the United Nations will again debate the regulation of business and human rights. If Brown fails to act, he must bear responsibility for the further dreadful examples of abuse 2008 will bring.

JOHN HILARY

CAMPAIGNS AND POLICY DIRECTOR, WAR ON WANT, LONDON EC2

Count the cash cost of global warming

Sir: Hermione Eyre (29 December ) damns politicians for short-termism in seeking re-election but fails to explain how they could enact long-term policies if not re-elected.

She lampoons them for attempting to lay out "the cost of global warming in sterling" but her own misjudged attempts to slow down mankind's journey to extinction demonstrate how much a comprehensible language is needed to quantify the impact of our individual actions.

For example, by declaring that she will be "taking a train instead of a plane to Venice" (perhaps wanting the "instant gratification" she mocks others for seeking), she ignores the evidence that high-speed trains are just as polluting per passenger kilometre as modern aircraft are for journeys over about 500 kilometres. The carbon-friendly solution is not to go to Venice at all.

Brian Hughes

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

The 'responsibility' to save NHS money

Sir: Deborah Orr (2 January), arguing against the idea of linking NHS patients' rights to responsibilities, seems to say that the addicted have a special ethical claim on society. The problem is that nearly everyone naturally thinks that he or his child has a special claim at one time or another. Without infinite provision, the system has to set priorities.

One of these is to encourage us to behave in ways which are not an extra cost to others. Being self-destructive is up to you if you live on a desert island. Not so if others have to pick up the pieces.

There is sharp competition for budgets between the NHS, social services, the prison service and others. The public services, neglected for decades, are all needing money to improve at once. Even Solomon in his best-known judgement had to upset one side.

JENNY TILLYARD

Seaford, east Sussex

Sir: The Government is thinking of refusing NHS treatment to patients whose lifestyle, such as smoking or obesity, contributes to their illness. But where do you stop if you start this sort of logic?

What about the drunk who falls over and breaks his arm? Is he to be denied A&E treatment because his injury is the result of his own stupidity? Most people who get HIV/Aids get it through carelessness: they can't be bothered to use a condom. Are they to be denied life-saving drugs?

MARC HURSTFIELD

Northfleet, Kent

Sir: If the costs to the Government of diseases predicated on "unhealthy" lifestyles are the spur for the threatened unrolling of "rights and responsibilities" (including the "right" of the state to withhold treatment), why are the financial costs predicated on "healthy" lifestyles (decades of pension provision preceding treatment of geriatric diseases) not in the equation? I would have thought lifestyles that kill people early would cheer the Exchequer.

Graham Shimell

Norwich

The price of English apples

Sir, Pamela Hibbert asks "Is it me or is it them?" regarding the price of German Gala apples being lower than the price of English Gala apples at Somerfield (letter, 3 January). Answer: it is her and the many like her (including me) who place a premium on buying locally sourced food.

I am willing to bet that there is very little difference in the cost to Somerfield between English and German apples. However, I am also willing to bet that the people in charge of pricing at Somerfield know that the Pamela Hibberts of this world will seek out English-sourced food and be less sensitive to price.

Richard Cadman

Booton, Norfolk

Blair unrepentant

Sir: William MacCurtain SJ (letter, 4 January) defends Tony Blair's move to the Catholic Church by reminding us that Jesus said, "I have come, not to call the just, but sinners to repentance." Exactly. About his catastrophic mistake, and deceit, over Iraq, Mr Blair remains sanctimoniously unrepentant. Good luck to Rome, then, in teaching the former PM some contrition.

The REVD KIM FABRICIUS

Swansea

New year: another truth

Sir: You publish a letter entitled "Truth about the new year revelry" (2 January) which outlines the unfortunate experience of one woman who came to London via its busiest railway station and very regrettably got caught up in overcrowding. That is certainly her truth and I hope she and her companions are all recovered. Our truth was that we saw a magnificent display of fireworks that should make Londoners proud. We looked at the arrangements available on the TfL website and avoided overcrowded areas. We were home safely at just after 1am.

Sarah Taylor

London W14

British dictators

Sir: Why no mention of the UK in your article "Is democracy in retreat?" (4 January)? Gordon Brown lectures other countries frequently about their democratic deficiencies, whilst he himself acts as an absolute dictator, with the benefit of only 35 per cent of the vote at the last general election. It really is the utmost hypocrisy for any Labour or Conservative politician to be critical of Kibaki or Mugabe or any other wannabe dictator, when they all seek absolute power without a majority of votes in our own elections.

Dr Bill Easson

Buxton, Derbyshire

Uninspiring hopefuls

Sir: The list of hopefuls for the US presidential race fills me with foreboding. They all appear to be either warmongers or polluters, or both. And only a very few of them appear to know, or care, that on the other side of the pond is a place which they would probably refer to as "Yerp". Come back Al Gore, all is forgiven!

Michael Hart

Osmington, Dorset

Invasion of moles

Sir : Further to David Bishop's sightings from North Yorkshire (Letter, 3 January), I can confirm that in my part of darkest Cheshire the mole population is on the up and digging for victory. Wikipedia tells me moles can dig tunnels at the rate of 20 metres a day. I suspect they can do much better, because while I was letting in the new year, tripping past the mole hills in our garden, coal in one hand and dram in the other, I am sure I spied a digger with an Aussie accent.

Tony Taylor

Church Minshull, Cheshire