Letter: Best way to boycott oil?

Best way to

boycott oil?

Sir: I normally buy Total petrol. It is cheap, the local Total garage is convenient for my home, and they run a tempting "points" scheme. However, since, as you reported on 31 January, Total is in partnership with the Burmese state oil company, I considered changing to another brand in protest against human rights abuse in Burma, but have decided not to.

If, through a boycott of its products, Total were to disengage from Burma, it would have to source its oil from somewhere else. Iraq? Iran? Algeria? Almost all major producer countries are, frankly, tyrannies.

All oil comes mixed with blood - nearly all oil products come from crude that has been blended from various sources, and there is no way that I know of ensuring that the petrol from your neighbourhood pump is exclusively of North Sea or North American origin.

JAMES SCOTT

Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire