AFTER two years’ wait, I returned to Salou, in Spain, after a slow return to normal.

I paid my 10 days’ tourist tax and within hours of my arrival in Salou I saw the benefit. The tax directly funds the maintenance of the resort and region. Between 6am and 7am a well-staffed team doesn’t just sweep streets, but power-washes them, too.

The public toilets are clean, and open all day. Bins are emptied continually and there are many recycling bins available.

Every road crossing has a lowered pavement, something that helped my mobility trolley. There are virtually no pot-holes or serious faults in pavements or roads. The police force is visible at all times.

The only criticism I have is that tourists don’t respect the laws concerning litter and no smoking.

Spain is a country that is suffering from inflation, unemployment and other problems apparently worse than the UK’s (if you believe the propaganda from Her Majesty’s Government and Boris Johnston).

One wonders how these lesser-populated, poorly financed countries manage to maintain year-round civil wellbeing. Perhaps it’s down to pride and better management – something that we in Britain lack.

William McKissock, Clarkston, Glasgow.

 

THE REAL STATE OF NATURE

IN the Earth Overshoot Day article “Root out environmental threats to preserve this land of plenty” (May 19), it was asserted that NatureScot research that “reveals Scotland has already lost nearly 25 per cent of its wildlife.” This is incorrect.

The latest State of Nature Scotland report states that since 1994 there has been an average reduction of 24% in the relative abundance of 352 monitored species.

As there are around 60,000 organisms (excluding microbes) in and around Scotland, this finding is based on information from 0.6% of Scottish species.

Furthermore, the State of Nature authors do not claim that these species are representative of Scottish wildlife: they are restricted to four iconic groups – moths, butterflies, birds and mammals; no plants or fungi are included; no marine species; no beetles or flies, the most species-rich insect groups in Scotland.

It is a misrepresentation of the data to equate an average drop of 24% in the abundance of an unrepresentative 0.6% of Scottish species with the loss of nearly one-quarter of Scottish wildlife.

Dr Iain Wilkie, Strachur.

 

ELECTRIFYING GENEROSITY

NEARING 80, I was excited today to receive a letter informing me that I would be getting an extra 25 pence a week (less tax) as from my big birthday. This means that, each day, I will be able to enjoy about two minutes of electricity absolutely free over a 24-hour period.

What generosity!

James Watson, Dunbar, East Lothian.

 

 

A GOOD FOLLOW-UP QUESTION

DAVID Miller (“How much to follow, follow?”, May 21) asks the question and somehow links it to complaints about the cost of living. This is still a democracy and we have the right to choose how we spend our cash. I wonder if David has ever questioned any other sports supporters re how they spend their cash. I suspect it’s just really Rangers supporters he’s bothered about.

John Gilligan, Ayr.

* SO, David Miller from Milngavie questions the ability of some 50,000 working-class people to up and off to Seville?

David should reconcile himself with this fact: these people chose not to live in leafy suburbs (so-called Spam Valleys).

That’s why they don’t need to think twice about forking out €400 to follow their team.

Never thought I would defend the follow-follow brigade.

Stevie Campbell, Hamilton.

 

 

CHARIOTS OF ETERNAL FIRE

THE death has been reported of the Greek composer Vangelis.

I note that he has stated that the signature piece of the film, Chariots of Fire, “was only another piece of music”. He does himself an injustice .

There cannot be many people who have heard the music who have not, subsequently, at some point or another during their lives, hummed or whistled the tune or just listened intently to it.

It is one of those remarkable compositions which will continue to find favour with so many people.

Rest in peace, Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.

 

 

WHY THE FUTURE, CLEARLY, IS VEGAN

THE case against eating red meat is a clear and simple one – don’t do it (Claire Taylor, “Big Read: The Case for Eating Red Meat Is a Clear and Simple One”, May 17).

Eating meat raises your risk of bowel cancer – a link which has been known for years – and clogs arteries, and can also lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Peta welcomes the sensible and compassionate call by a group of Scottish clinicians and GPs to remove meat from hospital menus.

Eating a diet rich in plant-based foods can add almost a decade onto your life, compared to people who eat a typical Western diet.

Animals suffer immensely for humans’ addiction to meat. In the UK, even in what are considered the industry’s best conditions, calves’ horns may be gouged out and the tips of piglets’ teeth and their tails are cut off without any pain relief.

All animals used for food endure the terror of transportation, are strung up, and their throats are slit, often while they’re still conscious. “Ethical” meat is a myth.

Meat production is also a leading cause of the climate catastrophe. The carbon footprint of Scottish beef can be 20 times higher than that of plant-based proteins. This is a global emergency that threatens to destabilise entire economies and send millions to an early grave.

The United Nations urges a global shift to plant-based eating, which can provide all the nutrients children and adults need.

Some Scottish farmers are already moving with the times by growing oats for the booming plant-milk sector and switching from harmful aqua-farming to compassionate kelp production.

The future is vegan.

Dr Carys Bennett, Corporate Projects Manager, Peta Foundation UK, London.