The "waste shame" article (The Argus, April 3) certainly gave us the true facts - Brighton and Hove has the 17th-worst ecological footprint in the UK, as found by the Stockholm Environmental Institute.

The recent calls for the culling of pigeons and foxes and the device to scare off seagulls all look a bit silly after this. People can now focus their attention on man.

David Hammond's letter (March 31) put it into perspective when he said: "We are the vermin causing irreversible destruction and bringing disease upon the natural habitats of our fellow creatures".

Many of the pigeons seen around our city are rock doves, a coastal bird which belongs here.

As for the bird dispersal device featured in The Argus (April 1), how sad can we get? I can understand airports using them to avoid aircraft problems but scaring seagulls off our beach (where they should be) so we can eat ice-cream? I find it pathetic.

I am always delighted to see our seagulls on the beach and this device can do more harm than good to them.

During the season when they are teaching their young to find food along the tideline the device could disrupt that part of their rearing pattern, interfering with nature and possibly separating young gulls from their parents.

We were told by Anthony Walker that the seagulls get worried and look to see what is causing the distress call made by the machine before they fly off. This is because they are concerned for another seagull they think is being hurt.

I have seen them show great distress when one of their kind gets killed or injured.

-Gloria Wheatcroft, Inner City Wildlife Concern, Hove