Q Should organisations be stopped from chopping down more trees? Yes, organisations should stop chopping down trees. The trees that are unfortunately in the way of the Olympic Games could be transplanted on the hillsides that were denuded by recent wildfires. Let's forget whether plants are indigenous and focus on the survival of the trees. Ang Bak Hwee Organisations should be stopped from chopping down trees unless they are dying. The government and various organisations are disregarding public opinion and soon there won't be any trees left to enjoy. Trees clean the air, and in these days of global warming, we need all the help we can get. It takes a half century or more for some trees to grow and in one thoughtless moment they're gone.Save our trees! Save our planet! Linda da Cruz, Happy Valley Q Should first-aid training be compulsory for teachers leading field trips? I am writing to respond to yesterday's Talkback letter from Dr Freddie Fu and Professor David Silver of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the US. The doctor and the professor assert 'it is very difficult to recognise and treat the symptoms of heatstroke' and indicate opposition to the notion that first-aid training be made compulsory for teachers. It may be true that heatstroke can be difficult or even impossible to recognise, even by a doctor in charge of an intensive-care unit at a major city hospital. That, however, does not stand as an argument against compulsory first-aid training. Some years ago, I was camping with my wife and four children near the city of Perth in Western Australia. Our six-year-old son Tom began having convulsions and my wife and I, being trained in first aid, administered first aid - including expired air resuscitation when Tom stopped breathing. Had we not been trained in first aid we would have lost our son. When Tom arrived at hospital, the professional medical staff could not determine the cause of his illness. Tom recovered and has had no further related health problems. Was it heatstroke or some other illness? No one, including the doctors, ever knew - but first-aid intervention had saved our son's life. I am a teacher and I make a point of being trained in first aid. I believe it is both a professional and a personal responsibility. Jon Branch, Lamma Island Q What do you think of the new Star Ferry pier? I left Hong Kong in 1997 after five whirlwind years here, and have just returned to revisit old haunts. I was amazed to come into the new ferry terminal in Central and, naturally, had to visit the old terminal. There I noted the protests over the loss of history, but as I walked away I overheard two Americans who were approaching the area. 'Looks like a market of some kind,' said one. Perhaps we lose our history faster than we think. Alan Fyfe, Edinburgh, Scotland Q How can environmental awareness be improved? As long as we fly a few times a year for a short or longer holidays, we pollute our skies tremendously. As long as we support the car industry by driving for even the smallest distance, we pollute our skies. As long as we shop until we drop (and put all those purchases in readily available plastic bags), we pollute our environment. As long as we want to buy very cheap products, we support factories that do not have emission filters on their chimneys. I acknowledge that the government really should do more to curb pollution, but let us not forget about us, the consumers, who play a major role in polluting our environment.Keep an eye on this season's Christmas shopping and flying and you will know what I mean. Vera van Ek, Lobster Bay Q What can be done to reinvigorate Hong Kong's film industry? Release movies on time. The overdue releases of certain films don't help film distributors' battles with piracy. Take the latest James Bond flick Casino Royale. Major cities in the UK and the US had release dates on November 16 and 17 respectively. Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines, and even the mainland, had release dates in mid-November. However, Hong Kong is releasing the movie on December 21. Whatever happened to Hong Kong being the 'world city'? Anyone in Hong Kong interested in the controversial mock documentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan will have to wait until March 1. Laughable. It's out this month internationally. No wonder people turn to piracy. Nick Dearman Q Have you had a bad experience with a taxi driver? After reading the Talkback section on November 24, I feel I should respond to Nicole Lee and Michael Hunt and say that it is appalling that Hong Kong taxi drivers do not speak English. Cantonese did not become Hong Kong's second official language until 1973. The two official languages are English and Cantonese. This is a former British colony. Philip Morais Jr, Sai Kung Q Is the safety of pedestrians being neglected? The comments made by R. Si-yang (Talkback, Monday) regarding bicycle riders need some clarification. A pavement is a footpath for walking and should not be shared with any rider. If Mr Si-yang feels that the roads are too dangerous for his children to ride, why not take them to bicycle lanes which are made for this purpose? It is illegal to ride a bicycle on any pavement. Why should the safety of pedestrians be neglected for the pleasure of riders? P. Souza, Tai Po Q How can animal welfare be improved? It's fine news that the government has agreed to raise penalties for animal cruelty. However, prosecution is only the end result. It is not the starting point of trying to prevent animal mistreatment. We hope the government will seriously address the long-overdue full review of animal welfare regulations it has promised. Areas that urgently require a comprehensive overhaul include: Clarification of the definition of cruelty; Tightening of legislation governing pet shops and their activities; The need for stringent controls on keeping dogs on building sites; Curbing of indiscriminate breeding that results in unwanted litters and the subsequent stray-animal problem; Strengthening of education to ensure all animal owners are aware of their responsibilities under the law. It has been stated recently that 'legislation is not credible unless it can be enforced'. Animal welfare should not just be debated and laws revised and updated. Animal welfare must be supported by the police and the prosecution department and sentenced appropriately by the Judiciary. Only then can animal cruelty and/or ignorance be banished in Hong Kong. J. Green and O. Scherer, Protection of Animals Lantau South (PALS)
