THE term "fake news" has become synonymous with Donald Trump's time in office and in Roger Waigh's letter (December 4) he appears to simultaneously deplore it while at the same time using it to promote the myth that electric vehicles (EVs) are truly green.

Proponents of this technology may be technically correct in claiming "zero direct emissions" but in so doing they are guilty of a mass deception. Mr Waigh appears to believe that motor manufactures are also conspiring to promote fake news by claiming that an EV must travel at least 50,000 miles before it balances the emissions from conventional vehicles. There are numerous valid studies that confirm this to be the case. For example, Professor Stromman of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology concludes that "it will no doubt come as a surprise to many that the global warming potential of electric vehicle production can be up to twice that of conventional vehicles".

Lithium-ion batteries will demand vast amounts of lithium, graphite, cobalt, copper that must be mined, transported and processed, frequently under deplorably exploitative conditions and will produce around 20 tonnes of CO2 per unit. In addition there is currently no provision to cope with the safe disposal of a projected 11 million tonnes of spent batteries that will have accumulated by 2030.

It is tragic that those who wield power lack the courage to abandon the pretence that the EV revolution will be good for the planet. The pollution problem is simply being moved to where it has no immediate or directly observable effect.

Neil J Bryce, Kelso.

I ASSUME that Roger Waigh can park in his driveway. The obsession with electric cars seems to overlook the massive problem of recharging in a city. I have this image of streets of red sandstone tenements in Glasgow, with hundreds of extension cables snaking out windows and along the streets, sometimes right round corners to where a parking space has been found. A multi-storey block, I will leave to your readers imagination.

M J Carr, Glasgow G40.

SLIME OF THE TIMES

SURPRISING how strong a resemblance the Covid-19 virus bears to certain slime moulds. It was such a resemblance that struck me as I was searching amongst a crowd of brown cap fungi at the foot of a sycamore tree the other day: but most pleasure was gained by finding three small red moulds (Raspberry Slime Moulds) as I had never seen those red moulds before.

I thought that they deserved names of their own, so each has been called after a present politician; but as Colm Sands' song says, "Whatever you say, say nothing". I am watching my back and not saying who the slime moulds are called after. The moulds are actually much nicer than their name suggests. Possibly as nice as the politicians whose names they bear?

Slime mould hunting? I blame it on my age and the sudden colder weather.

Thelma Edwards, Kelso.

OMNISCIENT?

I RATHER agree with Allan C Steele's argument (Letters, December 4) against R Russell Smith's suggestion of the previous day of omnishambles as the word of 2020. Omnishambles should be reserved for 2021, the year of Brexit.

John Jamieson, Ayr.