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.

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Question:-) What power cell is based on a natural shape, provides photovoltaic power during the daytime and at night piezoelectric power?

The other day I was asked about natural condoms which took me back a few years…no don’t be rude. My thoughts went to an archaeological dig I was on in Wales as a teenager when we came across a submerged jar containing animal skins stitched in the shape of a long straight sock. Little did we know at the time we had found a jar of natural condoms. So my mind rambling I started to research if this product was still available and, guess what, it is. The lambskin condom called ‘Fourex’ and another Kling-tite both use the thin intestine of the animals to provide the sheath. Whilst the natural skin condom does prevent the larger sized sperm escaping, it will not protect against the smaller HIV/AIDS cells so one may like to use the condoms the Vegan society approves, made by a company going by the name of Condomi who use natural latex and no plastic. Even the government in Brazil are getting into the production of natural latex condoms as a way of protecting their rain forests. The idea is that trees are tapped for the natural latex in the Chico Mendes reserve as a cash crop rather than allowing trees to be cut down for the ever increasing need for hard wood. The government estimate that Brazil imports 100 million condoms into the country so the latex will provide a good income for the farmers and locally produced condoms. This, in turn, will cut down on air or sea miles thus reducing the countries carbon footprint. Unfortunately, there is no natural product based female condoms I have been able to find. However, the Femidom is a product made from polyurethane that is safe to use and if disposed of in a tissue and then the bin it is a suitable alternative.