LETTERS
I was very interested to read the exclusive remarks of David EJJ Lloyd, the headmaster of Solihull School, on the front page of your last edition. As the leader of one of our excellent local schools he is in an ideal position to judge the effect of social media on our young people.
I share his concerns. Prior to the 2015 general election I published material for local schools with some advice on online safety – and as a newly re-elected member of Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport committee I shall be putting these issues directly to social media companies as part of our inquiry into so-called “fake news”.
These companies dominate so much of life today, especially for the younger generation, and I feel very strongly that they have a duty of care towards our kids. They may protest that they merely provided a platform, but in my view they ought to have the responsibilities of publishers.
I also believe that young people should have the right to erase their online history when they grow up – imagine if older people had to present their high school photo albums when applying for jobs!
Today’s youth face risks to their mental health that nobody even imagined when I was growing up, and we need to get better at spotting the danger signs.
Julian Knight MP
As kitchen waste in plastic bin bags in a waste bin can easily begin to smell unpleasant after a few days I do not believe it would be a good idea to switch to a fornightly collection for such waste.
I hope rumours that the Council are thinking of that as an option prove to be incorrect. I would view it as a step backwards into the dark ages.
Incidentally I always try to avoid any food waste if at all possible.
Dan Hartley
Solihull
Since 1970, wildlife populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles around the world have more than halved (58 per cent), and sadly at a rate that shows no sign yet of slowing down.
This isn’t just an issue impacting the rest of the world – in the UK, many of our own species are witnessing a shocking decline in numbers, with many at risk of extinction.
That’s why, as a WWF Global Ambassador and a parent, I’m asking everyone to come together and Wear It Wild on Friday 20th October 2017 to help WWF protect our precious wildlife and their habitats.
We’re losing species at a rate consistent with a sixth mass extinction event. The thought that in my lifetime we could lose so many species, including some of our most iconic, such as tigers, elephants and polar bears, is incredibly shocking.
The good news is that there’s still time, there’s still hope. While since the beginning of the 20th century, we’ve lost over 95 per cent of the world’s wild tiger population, recent figures show that since 2010 the estimated number of wild tigers has risen from 3,200 to 3,900 thanks to the tireless efforts of governments and conservation organisations, such as WWF and our partners.
Everyone can take part in Wear It Wild on Friday 20th October. Simply visit: wwf.org.uk/wearitwild, dress up and donate to help protect our planet and its wildlife.
Tennis player Andy Murray, WWF global ambassador
