Letters: Green logic that seems to come from another planet

Are we about to invade China and India, two of the world's largest CO2 producers?

Scotland with its blind acceptance of wind turbines will go bankrupt whilst Denmark and Germany have admitted that wind turbines are a failed and expensive experiment.

The report says: "If everyone in the world lived like the average UK citizen the equivalent of three planets would be needed by 2030 to support human activities."

Then another gem: "If everyone in the world lived like the average Indian citizen, just half the planet's biocapacity would be used."

Would that be in abject poverty with poor housing, sewage and water shortages and contagious diseases?

I suggest that WWF, RSPB, FoE and their supporters seems to be living on a different planet from the rest of us. They should take up residence on one of the three planets they mention and spare us their drivel.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Finish trams and make city proud

OVER the centuries Edinburgh has gained a reputation for producing some of the world's finest engineers and architects.

However, in view of the debacle that the trams project has descended into, this fine reputation might be on the line. So is it not about time the 'City Fathers' took the bull by the horns and took the necessary action to ensure that this project is finished in the near future with the minimum of fuss?

Glasgow may have the 2014 Commonwealth Games to shout about and look forward to, but surely long before that Edinburgh could and should have a public transportation system which would be the pride of Britain.

Angus McGregor, Albion Road, Edinburgh

Bus drivers worth bonus for detours

ARE the TIE management under the impression that if they scrap the tram project they will lose out on their bonuses?

It is the bus drivers who deserve any bonus going, contending with all the detours of an obstacle course with such great efficiency.

The Edinburgh public must have little or no confidence in the council's ability with its big ideas about the trams.

The council wasted money on that project, and having to face drastic cutbacks on essentials to our city's wellbeing is outrageous. A referendum on the trams is overdue. Even our new Prime Minister says there should be a referendum on public issues.

R Glanville, Rathbone Place, Edinburgh

Invest to prompt economic boost

ON first analysis, it looks as though capital spending has borne the brunt of the cuts to next year's Scottish budget announced in the UK spending review.

But the true impact of these cuts on the Scottish construction sector will only become clear once the Scottish Government has determined how to spread the pain and presents its Budget Bill to the Scottish Parliament.

With most politicians focused on protecting frontline services, there's no doubt that investment in affordable housing and core infrastructure is extremely vulnerable.

However, although politically expedient in the short term, our politicians must be warned that failure to maintain capital investment will seriously hamper Scotland's economic recovery.

Construction may have shown some signs of recovery this year but that is almost entirely down to the capital spending accelerated into the 2009/10 budget. Behind the headline figure, output from private housebuilding and commercial construction remains significantly down.

Without further private sector stimulus, there will be little to cushion the construction industry against these cuts and little to suggest anything other than a significant backslide in building output, capacity and employment for some time.

Michael Levack, Chief Executive, Scottish Building Federation,

Crichton's Close, Holyrood, Edinburgh