Is the National Trust's latest initiative of selling jam jars of fresh country air a bit of fun or patronising PR push? Leo Hickman from the Guardian isn't too sure about the approach, commenting: "In recent years, the National Trust has made some great strides to shed its rather staid, middle class reputation – not least through its releasing of land for community allotments. But I think it might have gone too far with its latest wheeze to bring in the punters. It claims to have come up with the "ultimate solution for the office-bound" – bottled fresh air."

What troubles him - apart from questionable scientific claims - is "the assumption that stressed "city workers" will not feel somewhat patronised by the idea that all they really need is a jam jar packed full of fresh air harvested from the countryside. (...) I don't think the National Trust should be further emphasising the already chasm-like divide between urban dwellers and country folk."

What to do about it, then? Hickman encourages the city folk to dream up what gift they would like to bottle up and send back in return. Decent coffee perhaps, or public transport, arthouse cinema, ... anyone?

Read more at the Guardians green living blog.

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Picture credit: Rev Dan Catt