WELL done to the Wyre Forest school children who expressed their concerns about saving rainforests and congratulations to MP Mark Garnier for taking their letters to the Environment Minister, Liz Truss (“Eco-friendly youngsters get their concerns heard”, Shuttle, July 2) However, one wonders what the government is going to do about the number one cause of rainforest destruction, which is meat-eating.

A large number of rainforests in Central and South America have been burnt down to make way for cattle farming and, for every pound of beef produced, 200 square feet of rain forest is destroyed.

This is just one of the many harmful effects on the environment of the consumption of animal products and the best way the government could help is to end subsidies to animal farming and encourage our society to move towards a plant-based diet.

Jane Hargreaves

Stourport