It is back to basics when it comes to saving fuel and keeping bills low. Simple ways can each reduce your consumption by 5% but done together will make a dramatic dent in your outgoings.

1. Keep the vehicle maintained to the highest level you can – good service will cut down on wear and tear as well as increasing miles per gallon.
2. Check your tyre pressure each week so that you are at the ideal pressure for the vehicle – fuel consumption can go up as much as 10% if tyres are under inflated.
3. Remove roof racks that are add on to the vehicle as these will cause additional drag and increase consumption as under inflated tyres will.
4. Forget the air conditioning and opt for the natural air system in the car through the vents. As a small engine if used to provide the extra power to cool the air in an air con unit it can use one third as much fuel as running the vehicle.
5. Keep windows closed unless you have a very old vehicle as all new vehicles are designed to be aerodynamic.
6. Walk or cycle for shirt trips rather than take the vehicle – gradually build up the length of trip and you will enjoy it more than trying to go on long hauls initially.
7. When waiting in a line of traffic or stopped, turn off the engine, as this too will save fuel. A vehicle can use more fuel when idling.
8. If you can use public transport – do. It will be kinder to your pocket in the end. Look out for car share schemes for those who live out of reach of a good transport network.
9. Green up school runs by taking other parents children on a rota basis or – better still if there are safe ways of doing so – start up a walking bus where children and parents walk to school.
10. Just leaving the vehicle at home one day a week will help keep you fit, help your outgoings and introduce you to people you may have only seen from the vehicle.

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.