I wonder how many people are cleaning their shoes with bananas to help save the planet?

The idea of peels for shoes was recently voted top tip in a survey of ideas for helping protect the environment sent out every day by green group Friends of the Earth.

Among many websites I subscribe to, Friends of the Earth’s daily tip by e-mail is often useful, entertaining, challenging or, like the bananas, bizarre.

Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth to save water, buy a second-hand bike, boil pasta for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat and cover the saucepan rather than boil it all the time are among the wise-sounding ideas.

Among the less obvious environmental tips: on Valentine’s Day make home-made cards to show you care … both for the planet and for your loved one. Or don’t wear bright floral patterns on your clothes in summer to stop attracting wasps and bees.

In an online survey, the banana shoe tip was the most popular (…though I guess not necessarily the one most used) – ”To clean leather shoes, rub with banana peel (the inside of the peel), then wipe and buff with a cloth”.

It’s not as odd as it sounds — several books including one called the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Household Solutions includes it too.

It’s a funny idea but they might have added: “If you’re not already laughing, make sure you don’t slip up on the peel when you put your shoes on”.