SIR – The Stern Report is pretty unequivocal about the adverse contribution by aircraft on the effects of global warming. So will we residents of North Herts and Mid Beds expect a change of policy by the owners and operators of Luton Airport regarding it

SIR - The Stern Report is pretty unequivocal about the adverse contribution by aircraft on the effects of global warming.

So will we residents of North Herts and Mid Beds expect a change of policy by the owners and operators of Luton Airport regarding its present gadarene rush to expansion? Almost certainly not.

We might get a prevaricating statement from some mealy-mouthed airport spokesman but I will bet it will not contain anything worth hearing.

So, plenty more holiday flights regardless of the consequences.

Unless this Government does the unthinkable and actually taxes aviation fuel in line with road transport petrol and diesel, which would make Luton's expansion totally uneconomic. My bet is that New Labour's green credentials will fade to nothing very soon, in line with most of its promises. Of course, Mr Blair may decide to spend vast amounts of our money as a result of the most important document to cross his desk. Which he might, after all, he spent and is still spending, vast amounts as a result of his last most important document. That was on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction.

ROBERT SUNDERLAND

New Oak House

Stevenage Road

Little Wymondley

Hitchin

SIR - Recycling, I have just returned from a holiday in Portugal, where they seem to manage very well with large domed recycling bins placed in most streets or centres of activity e.g. car parks.

This seems to me better than having yet another coloured bin to trip over on the footpath. Hopefully our local authority is working on the next recycling target, probably cans and plastic, which are both light in weight and easily carried to a convenient recycling point. The collection costs from a large centralised container must be much lower than from individual homes so may I also put in a plea for similar large domes in North Herts instead of more individual street clutter.

Furthermore, since the introduction of brown bins (which also takes most types of cardboard) my black bin has very little in it and a lot of that is cans and plastic. I for one will be quite happy to have a fortnightly collection of my black bin as that should result in cost savings to spend on other recycling. My wet kitchen rubbish is accumulated firstly into used carrier bags so summer smells are not a problem and the fortnightly collection of recyclables is satisfactory.

GRAVELEY RESIDENT

SIR - The majority of us are fast becoming aware that recycling is now part of everyday life.

I agree with Vicki Herbart that the so called responsible councils do not help, here in NHDC we collect paper and glass, as well as compost. In Mid Beds DC they do not collect glass but do collect tins and plastics! So, as I travel between the two authorities on a daily basis I am constantly taking glass in one direction and tins and plastics in the other!

Surely it would be possible for the two councils to reach some agreement whereby they both collect all the above recyclable items, instead of blindly going their own ways, and in the process causing considerable amounts of recyclable waste to go to land-fill!

Furthermore the more people who travel to waste tips to dispose of this environmentally un-friendly waste, the more pollution they are adding to the environment by having to travel to the sites in their cars. It would be far more efficient globally for all these items to be picked up in bulk vehicles from households, or at least in locally end of the road style locations.

BARRIE C WOODS

Eastern Way

Letchworth Garden City