Reader's Letter: 'Environmental cost of going to school proms'

I have met one of these protesters who helped to block a road in the capital.

She took her daughter out of school for the day so that they could go to London to protest about pollution.

I asked her how she travelled to London.

She replied: “I drove down in my car”.

She travelled approximately 600 miles, creating pollution, to protest about pollution.

Surely stopping at home would have been more beneficial.

As for the school children, instead of waving placards and chanting about the problem, they should actually do something.

A good idea, for starters, would be to stop having ‘proms’ - here’s why:

For each pupil who goes to a prom:

showers - uses water, chemicals and electricity;

washes hair - same as above;

dries hair - lots of electricity;

spray tans - uses electricity and chemicals;

has false nails – uses chemicals and plastic;

has false eyelashes – uses chemicals and plastic;

wears make-up - more chemicals;

The outfits will use a large amount of resources to produce and most are only worn once;

accessories will take many resources to produce;

transport is usually by diesel ‘limo’.

After the event, there is the transport home, and then all chemicals and make-up are removed and washed away into the water system, adding to pollution.

Don’t forget all the electricity needed for heat, light and entertainment at the venue. When you consider the number of proms held, this would make a huge difference.

Personally, I have made changes. I have changed all light bulbs to LEDs, I grow my own fruit and veg and, as I can’t afford an electric car, I changed my diesel family saloon for a two-seater petrol car.

J Watson, Lancaster