I have long wondered how manufacturers can claim that their hybrid cars are eco green when they need not only liquid fuel but also electricity which they, the manufacturers, seem to forget about when doing the eco chart.

When visiting showrooms and asking for the comparison charts for fuel consumption there is always a vague reference to the fact that electricity is a renewable source so does not need to be counted in the emissions chart? So if I now put an extra battery (or three) into my car, change my engine to run on petrol and electricity I reduce my carbon footprint? Is it me or have I missed something here? The electricity still has a carbon footprint some say higher that of petrol engines due to the way electricity is produced. Coal and gas have a high footprint, as does transmitting the electricity to our homes where an estimated 40% is lost as it travels along the cables. That is another story to come back to soon.

There is a way of making the car greener and that would be to have a wind turbine or photovoltaic set of panels to charge up the car. If, as we are led to believe, a group of scientists have developed a panel that can produce up to 80% more electricity than panels used at the moment it should be easy to keep the carbon footprint down, even if sometimes the mains are used.

Now here is a thought; rather than shouting about the free energy would it not be better for the manufacturers to either have a built in solar charger or sell the car with a portable solar unit. I am not a fan of wind power because of the irregular supply they offer – one day I hope to change my mind.

A new product is being developed in the USA named the Solarial. It is a large airship that has the top layer of the balloon covered with photovoltaic cells to provide a supply of electricity to a power unit on the ground. In addition to this is a reversible propeller/wind turbine that again will provide clean energy to people on the ground. With so many people in the world in disaster zones, this would be a great way of providing relief energy and a communication link for the victims below.

Unlike other airships, the Solarial is filled with hydrogen rather than helium gas that is heavier, more volatile, and fast running out. Hydrogen is a renewable gas that will also fuel the hydrogen power cells designed to continue providing power at night or when the sun is low. The lower part of the airship has two dilation panels that expand as fuel buffer zones. Unlike other airships that have deaths associated with them, including the Zeppelin, this is an unmanned ship that can be inflated and put to use within hours to provide clean energy to victims of disasters.

Designed by Andrew Leinonen as a solar powered power station for an undergraduate industrial design thesis he won a first place prize in the 2008 ACIDO rocket show. Work continues on making the prototype ready for field test later in 2008.

Having seen the price of food increase thoughts turn to what could be grown in smaller areas of the garden and even on a window ledge or balcony. Herbs are an easy target but wanting something a little more substantial the potato sprang to mind. How though? Trawling my mind I remember some time ago reading about growing potatoes in plastic bags. Therefore, that is what I plan to do – grow a crop of spuds in plastic bags and see how it goes.

Finding suitable organic, peat free compost, an old plastic animal feed bag that came with some farm yard manure and two chitted potatoes (ones that are found at the bottom of the bag growing arms and legs)

Rolling down the side of the bag reminded me of sports days at school when the plan was to annoy teachers by having rolled down socks. See, I am off again. So roll down the sides of the bag to about six inches. Fill to that level with compost then add the two potatoes just below the surface. Now water well. If all goes to plan the potatoes will start to grow and as the green shoots appear they will be covered with more compost as the bag is rolled up and filled with compost to eventual full height. Remember to keep watering and to make sure the potatoes are not sitting in water cut a few drain holes in the bottom of the bag for drainage.

The result should be a bag of spent compost and a large number of potatoes. The plan is to have a number of bags planted two to three weeks apart for continual supply of spuds throughout the year. Watch this space for more on the potato bag.