Sir, Hugh Jaeger's letter (The Oxford Times, October 27, Buses in Cornmarket) interested me greatly. Not so much the comments about Oxford buses, but rather his chiding of P. Berry for an ecologically irresponsible trip to India, Egypt and back. Are such journeys really necessary?

Probably about as necessary as the upcoming trip a huge obese fellow, with three or four kids, overheard at a supermarket check-out, bellowing to an associate, several check-outs away, saying he would be taking to Spain in just a few days, adding: "Only seventy quid."

Well, of course, buses cause pollution, but does that make it right for masses of nobodies to travel the world in pursuit of nothing in particular? Except, possibly, 'depravity'.

Years ago I had charge of college accommodation for visiting academics; and certain visitors, often wives (generally friendly ladies), were keen to recycle waste. There were no clear guidelines on recycling. As I was usually busy, I would tell them to put their waste in the black plastic sacks provided; and, with the exception of newspapers, which were recycled, place them in the large bins the council provided.

Some, being Americans, were more insistent: seeming to imply, saving the planet somehow devolved upon me. This being so, I would ask them how they travelled from the US to Britain. The inevitable reply was, that they'd flown here. The penny usually dropped, when I explained that flying across the Atlantic, had used up their lifetime's supply of goodwill to the planet.

P. Berry exhausted his supply, flying to India and Egypt.

Far better remain in a placid state of global semi-reclusion. After all, the Net brings the whole world to your home.

I remember Billy Connolly's wry comment, that travelling increases one's outlook about the distance between thumb and forefinger!

Stephen Ward, Oxford