Rarely am I asked to weigh in on ethical [0] dilemmas. (I dunno why, maybe people aren't convinced that I have any ethics.)

However, one brave soul just sent me an ethical question. Fortunately, he also posed it to more reliable sources [1]. So, given that his bases are covered, I'll take a stab:

Dear Su,

On a recent dinner outing, my friends and I spent an hour-long wait in front of the restaurant. Parked directly in front of the waiting area was an oversized SUV [1]with the engine running. The car was left running for the majority of our wait (and presumably before we arrived) to keep a dog [1] cool while its owners ate dinner.

I'm no advocate of torturing dogs, but if you're dining out it would seem smarter to leave your dog at home, be kind to Mother Earth and be considerate to other diners who are overheated by your vehicle.

One of my friends wrote the word "WASTEFUL [1]" with his finger in the foggy driver-side window of the vehicle. When the car owners returned and realized what he had done, my friend was berated. "How dare you violate my private property" and "Mind your own business" were his more printable criticisms.

Were we wrong? No harm came to the vehicle and freedom of speech would seem to protect the criticism. In these days of eco-awareness [1], aren't we obligated to speak up for our planet? ---- Jimmy H.

Dear Jimmy:

Whoa, did real life just imitate the movies? After all, how often does mundane day-to-day life present us with such a clear-cut good guy vs. bad guy scenario?

In my opinion, you and your friend — being champions of Mother Earth and concerned about the welfare of a canine — are on the side of good. The SUV-driving, fume-producing, planet-destroying guy who gave your buddy a tongue lashing is, well, a jerk.

Now, let's suppose that the SUV driver happened to live miles away, had his dog in tow and, for some reason, absolutely needed to eat at that restaurant. Upon being called out, his only acceptable response was to acknowledge the mistake, apologize sheepishly, and skulk away into the night to wash his window and conscience. Instead, he turned belligerent in a weak attempt to save face. But who knows? Maybe he'll think twice before pulling that stunt next time. Maybe he'll keep the car on, the air-conditioner running, and the windows rolled down.

Bottom line: Keep defending the planet [1], man. It won't always be easy, but it's only way to become a superhero [2].

Have a enviro-etiquette question for Su? Mail her at su@lime.com [3].