Letters from Thornliebank Primary, Renfrewshire

June 3, 2023

Primary 7 class at Thornliebank Primary. We have been learning about persuasive techniques in writing so the children wrote some persuasive letters about an issue they feel strongly about to some Global leaders.

Dear Mr Johnson,

I’m Eilidh Doherty, I’m a primary 7 pupil at Thornliebank Primary School and I am deeply concerned at how little electric cars are on the road. Why would you allow this to happen? It is a massive problem that needs to be solved quickly. You have made a promise by 2030, the only car on the market would be electric vehicles. Why haven’t you done anything yet?

As much as electric vehicles could help, the prices throw people off. Who would buy a car at that price? Electric vehicles are almost £5000 more than a normal petrol and diesel car so most people would pick the cheaper option. If you want people to buy electric vehicles the prices of them will have to drop down to the same price as the petrol and diesel cars.

Electric cars don’t go extremely far before needing to be charged again, to resolve this issue petrol stations will need at least 4 charging stations and maybe portable charging stations that are powered up beforehand.

On top of that, petrol and diesel cars pollute the air severely. Getting rid of petrol and diesel cars will help the environment because petrol and diesel car engines emit small quantities of sulphur dioxide which, in concentrations, can cause breathing problems, affect plant growth, contribute to acid rain and damage buildings. Why would you let this happen? It’s appalling what it’s doing to the environment.

In conclusion, petrol and diesel cars are harming the environment dearly, you need to do something quick. I hope you take this on and do something about it.

Yours sincerely,
Eilidh Doherty

Dear Mr B Johnson,

My name is Ami Marshall. I am a primary 7 pupil at Thornliebank primary and I am appalled by the lack of electric cars on the road. Now although I have only seen the problem for myself in Scotland, I have done my research and this is a worldwide problem.

Electric cars are a great solution to battle climate change, but they are extremely expensive at the moment, with them being £5,000 more than the average petrol or diesel car, therefore aren’t that affordable. You can change that by working with car manufacturers to lower the price. You said that by 2030 you are hoping all cars on the road and market are going to be electric? How? How are you going to do that in just 8 years? It is going to be hard I know that but if you take action now, we can do it.

We also need more charging stations around the UK. As of right now electric cars are not ideal for driving long distances because of the lack of charging points. We need these things to meet our goals, goal that you have set.

Another thing is that charging points for your home is an added £500, so compared to petrol/diesel cars you have to pay £5,500 more. That is a lot of money. Do you know what I could do with all that money? So again work with companies and car manufacturers, please do something.

I have said what I want to say. I have done what I can do, so please, act now to save our future generations, before it’s too late.

Yours sincerely
Ami Marshall

Dear Global World Leaders,

My name is Saoirse Clark and I am a primary 7 pupil at Thornliebank primary school, and I am deeply concerned about the rate Jakarta is sinking and shocked that they are now planning to relocate their city.

Areas of north Jakarta, including the sea well designed to protect them, are falling at an estimated 25cm a year, due to subsidence. Don’t you care about this city?

Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo has announced that the move will take place around 2024 and will cost about $34B US dollars.

Do you think this is acceptable that people of this city have to leave their homes and relocate?

Another cause of the move is because the air quality in the city has plunged in the last few months. So will you leave this city and watch it sink or take action and fix this crisis?

The effects on the citizens of the city are terrible, they can’t find a reliable water source and live in a devastating condition. Why would you allow this to happen? I’m appalled that this wasn’t fixed sooner. Please take action now and make sure Jakarta is a safe place to live.

Yours sincerely,

Saoirse Clark

Dear World Leaders,

I’m Sean Comaskey, a Primary 7 pupil and I’m writing to you because you have to do something about climate change, in particular deforestation. Do you know that areas of the forest are dropping by 30 football pitches per minute? The world needs trees to live, trees are the world’s lungs. Do you want to live? Trees give us oxygen. We need to breathe oxygen to live.

You have to act now! Do you think that from 2001 to 2019,the Philippines recording 86% of tree cover loss happened on its own? You have to act now I’m absolutely appalled. Why would you let this happen, this can’t go on! You have to act now, world leaders.

Trees produce oxygen and humans and animals need oxygen to breathe. If anymore are cut down no oxygen will be produced. Will you allow people and animals to suffocate? Will you allow all
life to die on Earth?

I hope you will take the contents of this letter on board.

Yours sincerely,
Sean Comaskey.

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