Letters: We should embrace the decline in population in the most polluting countries

A Big Issue reader correlates population growth with environmental decline, another adds up the true cost for children caring for parents and calls for state funding to support them.

Population control

John Bird comments that 50% of the damage to the environment has been in the last 60 years. In 1964 the world population was about 3.26 million. It is now 8.16 million.

We can’t ignore the effect of increasing world population on the environment. We should embrace the decline in population in the richest, most polluting countries.

Daphne Wassermann, Glasgow

Spare the child

Provision in these sort of circumstances should be state funded. No child in the 21st century should be expected to sacrifice themselves to care, in this way, for a parent. The psychological stress must impact on everyday life of a developing child, but if it serves to save money for the state then anything goes.

Jane Catherine Pawley, Facebook

Trade up

In your Christmas issue there was a letter about the value not placed on ‘trades’. I have never understood why the old technical schools which used to flourish alongside grammar and comprehensive schools were closed. Why does the government not encourage builders to take on more apprentices? 

We now have a really lovely Big Issue seller in Verwood outside Tesco Express and his smile is a tonic!

Lesley Eve, Verwood, Dorset

• One of the biggest crises facing the UK is barely talked about – the crisis of an ageing population
• The 1.5C global warming target is a ‘delusion’, warns climate scientist who fled Los Angeles

Private problems

I’ve just read your article about landlords selling up in the private rented sector (PRS) and noted some of the options put forward. As a retired private rented sector specialist, I think you have painted a much too optimistic picture of what might happen when landlords sell up. 

Any experienced landlord will know that the axeing of section 21 is a green light for tenants to take advantage, particularly as getting a court order eviction will be nigh on impossible. Expect tenants to stop paying rent and ride out the process. For years. 

Energy Performance Certificate of C by 2030! Clearly the government doesn’t realise that extensive building works required will necessitate the tenants moving out. More homeless people. Even if the works can achieve a C.

In my area, the majority of PRS flats and bedsits to rent are in Victorian stock which cannot be improved to a C. And here is where your assertion about local authority buyback is flawed. Local housing providers DON’T WANT these properties. They are not economic to add to their stock. Expensive to manage and expensive to repair. Most LHAs got rid of old stock decades ago. 

Furthermore no social housing providers nor corporates want bedsits and studio flats, the mainstay of housing for single people. Exactly the group who will become homeless and unwanted by LHAs.

Deborah Bromley 

Ray of hope

I just want to thank Paul McNamee for sharing his story ‘Let hope grow’. Not an easy thing to do. It is an inspiration to read such a story of hope. We so need positive stories like this in our world at the moment. 

June Curtis, Nottingham

RE: A day in the life of nature conservationist Derek Gow

Excellent article with Derek Gow – it’s a glimpse into his daily life, about what he sees and unfortunately doesn’t see, what needs to happen today rather than tomorrow. 

I love his thought on rewilding corridors – and he’s absolutely right, there would only be gains.

Daniel Martin Eckhart, LinkedIn

It’s good to know that such people exist. Without them, restoring the balance in nature would be impossible.

Maria Łepkowska

Great advice, we need to think beyond ‘nature reserve islands’ and start making connectivity a key issue too.

Emilio Bundy

Our native frogs coming back in new water bodies across the landscape would be brilliant to help feed the storks, ibis or any other bird species to be introduced. Need the habitat first.

Jonathan Cranfield

Connectivity and collaboration are key: buglife.org.uk have mapped out an insect superhighway to create a corridor through the UK!

Rebecca Lewis

That is the hairiest pig I’ve ever seen. What is this mystical creature?

Isabel Sophia Irwin

Wild boar are such wonderful species, I think they really will be a keystone of rewilding on a lot of UK farms.

Gregor D Sinclair

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