Is there anybody out there?

We do love getting your comments - it makes us feel like we're not just talking to ourselves. So for today's entry, we're going to address a bit of reader feedback. Fun!

Firstly, further to my grievance with the village store customers over idling versus cutting the engine, a couple of readers responded to query and whether it wasn't in fact worse for the planet to stop and start the car. My initial reaction was to thank them for saving me from an awkward conversation with a man who kills bears with his bare hands (well, almost), mind me own business and get back to me cup of tea. But then I thought, no, that would be lazy, I really need to do my homework.

So I googled it. Luckily a blogger in Hiroshima recently dealt with exactly this conundrum. And, Alexena and Anonymous (who are you? reveal yourself!), his extremely thorough research overwhelmingly suggests idling bad, stopping and starting good. In fact, so insidious is idling thought to be that in Japan, they ran a whole public service campaign to stop idling (Canada and Oregon are doing the same). Here's their natty poster:

Do you think I should print it off and stick on the railings outside the shop? I'd be doing them a favour because apparently idling not only wastes fuel and harms the environment, it's actually bad for the engine!

While I was at it, I could also give them my Grandpa's top petrol-saving tip: coast down hills in neutral and only stick the thing in gear when it's about to give up on the upward slope (he nicknamed his Ford Capri Rollscnardly - rolls down hills, cnardly get up the other side). I'm sure I'd make their day.

Next up: eco-friendly Xmas cards for those relatives who don't understand the e-card thing. Alex, I hope this isn't too late to be of any use to you. A lot of eco-friendly cards are a bit naff but with a bit of help from Ideal Bite and Google, I came up with the following:

• Greene Sreet Greetings: cool vintage photo cards, whiter than white credentials (100% post-consumer paper, soy-based inks, carbon-free messenger delivery optional) and
• Girly Whirly: cute, 20-30% post-consumer recylced materials (if you're wondering, post-consumer is better than plain old recycled). Very Alexena, I reckon
• Kid Bean grow-a-note: not so keen on the designs but not only are they all handmade from post-consumer recycled stuff, you can also plant them in the garden when you're done and they grow onto poppies and cornflowers. Lovely!
• Speak Peace cards: recycled paper, PEACE spelled in sign language on the front, proceeds to kids who are hard of hearing.

So there we go. By the way, here's a stat for you: if the Chrissy cards sold in just one year in the UK and US were laid end to end they'd stretch round the world 54 times. Who the hell is sending all these cards? I'm so disorganised I barely get round to sending one to my Gran. Still, at least this year I can plead ideology - think of the trees!