ACCORDING to Arnold Schwartzenneger, that part of California which has been destroyed by fire is “the most beautiful place on earth”. What about the Amazon rainforest? That which is home to countless species of insect, animal and plant life; food and shelter to thousands of indigenous people, and also a vital support system for planet earth — the only one of its kind.

While millionaire properties are being destroyed in California, isn’t the most pristine place on earth being destroyed by logging and slash-burn? Logging to satisfy the so called civilised worlds’ insatiable appetite for hardwood, and slash-burn for cattle to satisfy its insatiable appetite for meat. And who has the biggest appetite?

The carbon footprint of all the indigenous people of the Amazon is probably less than that of just one millionaire in California.

Our global financial catastrophe was reportedly caused by greedy, irresponsible people, and the way the “civilised world” is heading, it will be much the same people who will cause a global environmental catastrophe.

What the Amazon and California suffers today, we will all suffer tomorrow.

Allan Ramsay, Radcliffe Moor Road, Radcliffe