We have a young family and the Local Pass was ideal for us.

We travel to the snow every weekend and try to get the kids skiing. The price of the new Epic Pass is too much for us to afford. It will cost us about $600 more each season.

The Local Pass was a nice way to hedge our bets. I've been skiing at Falls and Hotham most of my life and it's a real kick in the guts.

Your correspondent Andrew Gordon (The Border Mail letters, September 14) made an astounding attack on what he called "the hysterical global warming movement" when he demanded "some positive ideas on what to do about it".

A first step would be for him to better understand the issue, and his announcement that "when coal-burning nations stop burning coal and clear their skies, the surface temperature of the earth will rise" shows a misunderstanding of how the greenhouse effect works. It's the pollution trapping heat in that is the problem, removing the pollution will allow more heat to be reflected back into space.

The most practical thing and probably the highest priority is to stop the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

IN OTHER NEWS:

If Mr Gordon wants that rephrased as "positive ideas" then how about; use renewable energy, regulate against pollution, promote sustainable lifestyles in choices of housing, food supplies, water use and transport.

There's no shortage of positive ideas that can reduce the impacts of 200 years of air pollution, but if you really do want to hear them then it's probably a good idea not to refer to those who could teach you about these sorts of things as "my bleeding heart buddies".

Over the recent few months my husband has been very ill, requiring many weeks in hospitals both here and in Melbourne.

I would like to sincerely thank all those "earth angels" who work under the names of doctors, nurses, paramedics, drivers, pilots and case managers.

We should be so thankful that here in Albury-Wodonga we are fortunate in having these people available to assist in medical crisis. They go out of their way to calm and care with gentle kind words and expert medical treatment.

I feel very upset when I hear of the abuse both physical and mental that these people have to endure.

They do not deserve this and are truly heroic in the way that they continue to serve the communities of Albury-Wodonga.

Please continue to let them know how much they are appreciated and how much they are valued.