Let’s try to get rid of plastic bags

A reader calls for a campaign against the use of plastic bags. Other topics: car models, Qasr Al Hosn, fur fashion, Reem Island, car parks

A reader calls for a campaign against the use of plastic bags. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

Thank you for including my observations on litter in the UAE, particularly in Abu Dhabi (Education needed to tackle littering, March 14). How well it juxtaposes with my other pet peeve: plastic bags (Why plastic bags are so bad, March 14).

I wish The National would start a campaign to convince major supermarkets to get rid of plastic bags.

It could start by informing the public, showing pictures of what plastic bags, and plastics in general, do to our environment. They are also affecting human health.

So why not stop using plastic bags and, instead, offer only biodegradable solid carriers that people must purchase and bring back while shopping.

I always have four or five in the back of my car.

Some people seem intent on having one plastic bag per item, and leave the store with anywhere between five and 50 bags.

If your newspaper takes up this issue, it would make a difference as it would reach a wide audience, especially young people.

Adriana Holtslag Alvarez, Abu Dhabi

Do car names have an effect on drivers?

Might it be that renaming car models could have an effect on the death toll on the roads? (Surge in number of deaths on UAE roads, police say, March 13).

We have names such as Avenger, Raptor and Patrol, and perhaps the behaviour of their owners is to try to act out the character of those cars.

Patrol users are nationally famous for looming up from behind, tailgating, flashing lights demanding to be ahead – even when the car in front has nowhere to go – as well as undertaking, overtaking on the hard shoulder, and dive bombing or gate crashing exit queues. Maybe their owners see themselves as seated higher than other drivers, “patrolling” and in charge of everyone else.

How about asking the manufacturer to change the name to Placid, or Patience, and see if it leads to a behaviour change?

Andy Preston, Abu Dhabi

Wearing fur is insensitive

What a shame that people are still wearing fur purely to show off their wealth (Fur or against: designers debate animals in fashion, March 15).

I can only begin to imagine how disgusting these fur farms are and the unbelievable cruelty meted out to helpless creatures in the name of vanity.

Pay a visit to a fur farm or watch a video showing how cruel and barbaric this practice is and then see who still has the lack of humanity to slip on a mink trimmed jacket.

Wearing fur should be a symbol of a lack of respect to living things, not to show how fat your wallet is.

Lorraine Ludman, Dubai

Reem Island can be better

I wonder whether there are any plans to build community parks on Reem Island (New Reem Island projects approved by Abu Dhabi city planners, March 14). Right now it's not very family friendly. Safe pavements around residential buildings are scarce. For instance, Sun and Sky Towers has a small children's play area, while the pavements around the towers have dangerous slopes. The towers themselves are not easily accessible to wheelchair users or for parents pushing a pram, as the stairs are steep. It seems not much attention was paid to the concerns of residents.

Speeding cars are also a great concern. Radars or cameras do not deter drivers. Perhaps the city planners can think of a more family-friendly island with more parks, skating areas, walkways, jogging tracks and so on.

I would go so far as to suggest including a community garden, where parents can teach their children how to grow plants and vegetables. They can donate their harvest to the many workers around. This would promote a greater sense of community and perhaps instil some civic sense in people.

Jean Francoise Ng Lewis, Abu Dhabi