How to Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

As a chemical engineer, it is imperative for us to care and know more about environment. It is our responsibility to educate those people around us to control the release of CO2 to the air in order to reduce the green house effect and save the world.

This article will show you how to easily calculate your CO2 impact. You will learn how to calculate your household or business environmental impact and determine ways to reduce it.

1. What is a Carbon Footprint?

The term is used to describe a measure of the direct effect our activities have on the environment around us. It allows you to asses your impact on various global issues such as climate change. It is essentially the amount of "greenhouse gas" (Carbon Dioxide) produced as a result of our everyday lives. We produce greenhouse gases when we burn any kind of fossil fuel, we burn fossil fuels when we use electricity, heating and transportation etc.

The term was coined as the measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce as a household or as a business, it is measured in tonnes or kilo grams of carbon-dioxide equivalent.

A truly accurate impact assessment is made up of two parts, direct and indirect.

• The direct footprint is a measure of your direct emissions of Carbon Dioxide green house gases from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane). You will be amazed how much control you have over these and these direct footprints are easily reducible with some concentrated effort.
• The indirect footprint is a measure of the indirect green house gas emissions from the whole life cycle of products we use - for example the energy used to create a plastic bottle, delivery it to a store, recycle it and so on. You will hear people say that you can decrease your carbon footprint by reducing and reusing - this is because the more we buy the more emissions will be caused on our behalf.

2. So How Do I Calculate My Impact?

2.1 The EASY Method!

The easiest way to start calculating your footprint is search for an on-line tool such as that provided by CarbonFootprintLtd which uses information from the following sources;

• DEFRA's Guidelines for Reporting Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions - July 2008
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• US Department for Energy (DOE)
• Green House Office - Australia
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA) GHG Registries

2.2 The Complete and Detailed Method

OK, so you have tried out the easy method and perhaps are ready to take your impact calculation to the next level. You need to go visit an amazing site known as the Green House Gas Protocol Initiative, they are a self proclaimed foundation for sound and sustainable climate strategies and their site contains literally every guide you will need to completely detail and calculate your home or business green house gases impact.

If you want to delve deeper into the detail of calculating your environmental impact visit their resource section, register with GHG Protocol and start downloading the free guides;

www.ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools/all-tools

You will find a choice between a PDF document with guidelines for producing hand calculations or excel spreadsheets for you to get started entering your consumption values straight away. Registration is easy, it took me less than a minute to register and start using the free calculation spreadsheets.

For example, I downloaded the "Indirect CO2 emissions from Purchased Electricity, Heat, or Steam" calculation tool and filled in information such as the square footage of my home and the number of occupants, the amount of electricity we use in KWh and the Texas CO2 grams per KWh which is provided in a look-up table in one of the worksheet tabs. In less than 2 minutes I had calculated the amount of CO2 my household produces from purchased Electricity!

So what are you waiting for? Get started today and who knows, tomorrow your eco impact might be reduced significantly!

This article is written by guess writer Martin Holland, website administrator for Our Everyday Earth - A Texas Family Trying to Go Green and Improve Our Earth Print, an Eco Friendly Blog About all things Green. If you are interested, you can read their articles at oureverydayearth.com.

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Medical Billing and Coding Profession

It was again another weekend and I’d love the fact that I can relax a little. Surfing the net is normally what I do to get more information, creative ideas and learn other things apart from chemical engineering and to ease some tense in my Ph.D research.

While doing that just now, I stumbled upon an interesting piece of information. It was related to a career in the medical industry that I have never heard before. Normally, when we discuss about medical industry, career, or degree, the first that come in my mind were careers like doctors, specialists, nurses, medical assistant/attendant and so on. However, have you heard of an area for Medical Billing and Coding? If it happens that you or your family/friends are related to anybody in the medical business, you might know about it. Honestly, it was my first time knowing such a career existed and there are colleges and universities offering this course.

So, what is the big deal with Medical Billing and Coding? It took me a while to understand how people in this career work. Well, let me share with you how and why this job/career is so important. Remember, not only chemical engineers are important. Medical billing and coding officers/expert are equally important too, in the medical sector.

Before this, when we are sick, we go to a clinic or hospital and meet up with a doctor who will examine and treat us. The doctor will normally gather as much information from us – by checking our body and asking questions; as well as from our medical history record which the clinic or hospital keeps before he/she decides how to treat us or what medication to give. A doctor who treats us can be just any normal doctor. No common doctor will know your medical history unless he/she is your dedicated private doctor.

Hence, in view of this, doctors need to be supplied with as much precise information on our medical history since we are a baby in order to diagnose us accurately. This is where the medical billing and coding experts come in. These professionals work to organize and maintain the endless stream of medical records and billing information that is processed through hospitals and clinics. These experts are responsible for the vitally important task of maintaining accurate medical records on patients, and processing bills for their medical services to insurance companies. A patient’s record may include potentially life-saving medical information such as previous diagnosis, efficacy of treatments administered, fatal allergies to medicine, anesthesia and much more. On top of that, these medical records would include family medical histories and genetic predispositions to certain diseases.

This clearly shows how crucial a career in a Medical Billing and Coding person is and people like us should appreciate it. We, chemical engineers may be the expert in process and production of a product, but when we are sick, behind the doctors, the medical billing and coding experts are the glue that holds healthcare together. They are the special support team that help treat us from our illness.

Think about it.

Highly recommended resources on Medical Billing and Codding: www.aboutmedicalbillingandcoding.org.

Photo credited to jfbbilling.com.

My wife just submitted her Ph.D thesis

After years of research, abundance of perseverance, unlimited patience, finally, my wife has successfully submit her Ph.D thesis yesterday. In case you wonder, she's studying the fundamental of Progressive Freeze Concentration. This area of study falls under Separation Engineering, Chemical Engineering.

The joy of completing and submitting her thesis doesn't mean that the battle is over. (it's actually 90% over). She has to defend her thesis in an oral presentation (viva) soon to take place. But at least, a huge chunk of the task is over. Supported with some publication in international and national journals, conferences, book chapters, I hope and most importantly believe she'll make it. On top of that, she has also managed to patent her research/design and that's a big thing. Not only that, the fact that foreign companies and institution searched and consulted her ecause of her research expertise make me believe that she'll get her doctorate soon. Let's all hope and pray that she'll make it smoothly without much pain.


As for me, it is now my second semester and I strongly believe doing Ph.D is like a war in a battle field or Star Wars!!! The most important element is to be able to plan the research activities wisely. Like a general in a battle, we need to plan the best strategy to fight and later terminate our enemies. We need to be able to utilize all resources available intelligently. We need to know when to attack and when to sit back and defend ourselves.

Well, I can't say much now about it as I'm still doing it. I may ask my wife to share some of her sweet and sour experiences. It may be helpful for those who are still working on his/her postgraduate studies and those who plan to do so.

What do you think of that?

Photo credited to http://www.copylobby.com/Binding/Thesis%20Binding.htm

Power Factor Calculation

Most of us are not electrical engineers that understand electricity backwards and forwards, but most of us have a basic understanding of what it does. Most of our understandings stop at the explanation that electricity turns things on. Although that is the end result, there is much more to it. The most important thing about electricity is how constant and pure it is.

Facility power that is dirty is electricity that fluctuates and surges. Surging power is bad for sensitive electronics and can ruin many things. As we all know, electronics are not cheap and to replace them can be very expensive. How do we solve this problem? The answer is by doing a power factor calculation of your current situation whether you be in a company or home setting.

This just simply means to assess how much equipment you have pulling power to make sure you are safely distributing it properly. There are units sold that can clean facility power and make it a perfect sine wave on output. What this means is that there is no fluctuation whatsoever which causes electronics to last much, much longer. This also saves you tons of booku bucks and most electronic equipment is extremely expensive, especially in a company setting. Getting a UPQ system can make all the difference in the world. Units like these are sold by Power Innovations or companies like them.

Stop dealing with horrible facility electricity and take the steps necessary to protect your personal or company assets. Do a power factor calculation of your situation today!

Photo credited to http://www.valleyelectricsaver.com/

This post was written by Scott who writes articles about power factor calculation and for power factor calculator.

CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagrams) - A Comprehensive Guide

This excellent book is probably the first comprehensive guide to the CALPHAD method. CALPHAD is an acronym that was coined in the early 1970s and stands for CALculation of PHAse Diagrams.

The CALPHAD method is based on the fact that a phase diagram is a representation of the thermodynamic properties of a system. Thus, if the thermodynamic properties are known, it is possible to calculate the multi-component phase diagrams. In other words, thermodynamic descriptions of lower-order systems (e.g., the Gibbs energy of each phase) can be combined to extrapolate higher-order systems.

In metallurgical engineering, for example, the CALPHAD method is invaluable when it comes to understanding the relationship between the chemical composition of an alloy (typically based on complex higher-order systems), the processing conditions, the resulting microstructure, and the alloy's final properties. In addition, most alloys undergo one or more phase transformations during use. Such phase transformations can often be understood through the use of phase diagrams (and which now can be calculated, thanks to the CALPHAD method).

The book covers the history of the CALPHAD method; the laws and basic concepts of thermodynamics (enthalpy, heat capacity, chemical equilibrium, Gibbs energy, etc); various experimental techniques to measure thermodynamic quantities and to construct phase diagrams; thermodynamic models for solutions and compound phases (stoichiometric compounds, random substitutional models, sublattice models, ionic liquid models, and aqueous solutions); phase stabilities; short-range and long-range ordering models; the role of magnetic Gibbs energy; computational methods and thermodynamic optimization of phase diagrams; as well as the coupling of thermodynamics and kinetics.

Finally, a number of important practical examples where the CALPHAD method was successfully applied are given and described in detail. The examples include titanium-based Ti-6Al-4V alloy, aluminum casting alloys, corrosion-resistant duplex stainless steels, nickel-based superalloys, high-speed steels, sigma-phase formation, micro-alloyed steels, NiAl-based and TiAl-based intermetallic alloys, magnetic alloys, high-strength cobalt-nickel steels, slag and slag-metal equilibria, chemical vapor deposition processing, hot salt corrosion in gas turbines, and the effect of radiation on the precipitation of silicides in nickel-based alloys.

I highly recommend this book.

This entry was brought to you by Alojz Kajinic, Ph.D. Calculation of Phase Diagrams

Advantages to a Career in the Oil and Gas Industry

You might think that there's not a job for you in the oil and gas industry, but you could be wrong. There's a range of opportunities out there, which could be right for you. The oil and gas industry is a worldwide employer, so wherever you are, you're bound to find the job that's right for you.

Chemical Engineers, Petroleum Engineers, Drillers, Electricians, Mechanics, Medics, Mud Engineers, Offshore Installation Managers, Radio Operators and Welders. The possibilities are endless, and it all begins with skills such as Maths and Science. There are a range of jobs available in the oil and gas industry, which are heavily involved with every stage of extracting oil and gas from reservoirs.

Drillers, are an important part of the industry, as they are in charge of the drills, and actually drilling the holes needed to find the oil and gas, so they play imperative roles in the industry. Electricians are not often thought as required in this industry, but they are often needed in order for work to progress. They are in charge of maintaining and repairing any electrical equipment, from light bulbs to high-tech electrical machinery such as generators, turbines and pumps.

Medics are an essential role within a career in the oil and gas industry, they're in charge of running the sick bay, keeping track of medical supplies, and keeping medical records. This sort of position is perfect for people in the Medical career track who'd like a change of scenery, or something a little less demanding the Doctors Practices or Hospital Work.

Radio Operators have one of the most laid back jobs in the industry, as they are in charge of communications with the outside world. And welders, there are a lot of welders out there working in many different fields, and in the oil and gas industry, it's another job that's very important. Welders in the Industry carry out day-to-day welding repairs and general building of new metalwork.

This industry is a fantastic career to get into, especially if you've just finished school and are interested in doing something interesting as a career, then it's an opportunity for you to get into an interesting journey towards your future career.

You'll get to study some interesting subjects such as aeronautical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering and mechanical engineering. The Oil Industry is a competitive Industry, and Large Internationals companies offer graduate training programmes, which offer both a good salary and invaluable experience for a future career in both oil and gas extraction.

Engineering in the Oil and Gas industry generally pays very well, and positions in Oil and Gas, especially engineering, are no exception. Starting salaries may be as high as £35,000! But if you train as an Engineer working for large multinational companies are likely to earn significantly more than those working for smaller companies.

After several years of experience in the role, individuals can expect to their salaries to increase to between £50,000 and £70,000! And Managers in the Gas and Oil Industry with responsibilities may even earn in excess of £90,000 per year!

Bonuses are also a common feature in the Industry, and generous living allowances are often provided for those of you who choose to work overseas.

The advantages of the Oil and Gas Industry is that the world with be using Oil and Gas for many years to come, and if you're interested, then you can take advantage yourself of the wide range of jobs available in the Oil and Gas Industry for many years to come.

If you're interested in a Career in the Oil and Gas Industry, then visit Six and a Half Recruitment [http://www.sixandahalfpercent.com/0oilandgas/], who specialize in careers Oil and Gas. They also deal with a range of other careers available in similar fields.

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Chemical Engineers - Career, Education and Salary

The field of engineering offers vast scope for candidates. One of the most fulfilling and profitable careers in engineering is becoming chemical engineers. These professionals use the principles of chemistry for the manufacturing a wide range of chemical products. Besides production of chemical products, chemical engineers also design equipment for chemical plants. These engineers apply principles of chemistry and physics and engineering technology to manufacture products like synthetic rubber, plastic, gasoline, detergents, paper, cement etc. While doing their job, engineers are confronted with multiple problems that they need to solve using technology and by applying principles of chemistry. In case of large scale manufacturing, chemical engineers also design the manufacturing equipment and test the manufacturing method before implementing the procedure.

Not only in the field of chemical manufacturing, but these engineers also work in a variety of other manufacturing industries. This, in turn, increases the career scope for these professionals. Industries like electronics, food, paper and clothing have multiple scope for chemical engineers. Apart from working in these industries, these engineers can also join fields like healthcare and biotechnology. By gaining more experience and expertise, engineers can also choose to specialize in a specific area according to their interest and preference. They can either choose to specialize in a specific chemical process or products. Chemical engineers can specialize in chemical processes like oxidation, polymerization or nanomaterials.

The job of a chemical engineer also demands responsibilities. While performing their task, the engineers must be well versed with the chemical processes involved in the manufacturing of products. They should know how these processes can have an effect on the environment. Chemical engineers need to do their work without making an harm to the environment, consumers and the workers. Every stage of the entire manufacturing process is thoroughly revised by the engineers to ensure the safety of workers as well. Long work-related experience is valued highly in the field of chemical engineering.

Education & Training

For entry level positions in the field of chemical engineering, candidates need to equip themselves with a bachelor's degree in engineering. Engineering degrees can be obtained in electrical, mechanical, electronics or civil engineering. Engineers trained in one branch can have the flexibility of joining other related branches of engineering. This flexibility benefits employers as well as engineers. While employers can easily meet their staffing needs, engineers can have multiple career opportunities to choose from and can also shift fields depending on the prospects and interests. Besides the engineering degrees mentioned above, many colleges also offer specialized courses or training programs in engineering technology, the duration ranging between 2 to 4 years.

Candidates who have been trained in 4-year technology programs can land jobs similar to those candidates that carry a bachelor's degree in engineering. Around 1,830 college and university programs across America have the accreditation of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). In addition to this, the board has also provided its accreditation to 710 engineering technology programs.

Work Environment & Salary

While working as chemical engineers, professionals will be working in laboratories, manufacturing plants or offices. Depending on the requirement, engineers may also need to spend time outdoors. Chemical engineers usually work 40 hours a week. Around 33,000 jobs for chemical engineers are expected by the year 2016. The median annual salary of chemical engineers is $78.860. Starting salary of chemical engineers is the highest as compared to other graduate level jobs.

This post is brought to you by jobdiagnosis.com.

International Graduate Conference on Engineering, Science, and Humanity (IGCESH 2010)

Let me announce a new conference that will be take place at the end of this year. International Graduate Conference on Engineering, Science, and Humanity (IGCESH 2010). Surprisingly, I'm one of the committee member for this conference. So, if you have any technical papers/research to present, why not submitting your papers here. I hope you submit it or contact the email stated below. Thanks and good luck.

2nd-4th NOVEMBER 2010, SKUDAI, JOHOR, MALAYSIA

Sustainability for the green society through creativity and innovation

Call for Abstract

IGCESH2010 is organized by the School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The conference will be held at the beautiful campus of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Skudai, a town about 20 km north of Johor Bahru and 320 km south of Kuala Lumpur. IGCESH2010 provides opportunities for post-graduate students, researchers, lecturers and practitioners to present their latest research work and findings, as well as forum for discussion and academic networking.

The conference covers the following topics (but not limited to)

• Fundamental and applied sciences: chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, bioscience and biotechnology.

• Engineering: civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics, marine, aeronautical, chemical, petroleum, natural resources, industrial and biomedical.

• Technology: built environment, architecture, geoinformatics, land surveying, estate management, transportation and town/urban planning.

• Computing and Information Technologies: software engineering, management information systems, knowledge management, database, graphics, network and security.

• Humanities and social sciences: economy, education, business management, Islamic studies and sports sciences.

SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACT

Prospective authors are invited to submit their abstract in English. The abstract must have a title, and should briefly describe the work by the authors in not more than 500 words. A full camera-readypaper is required for submission after the acceptance of the abstract. Please email the abstract together with the completed Abstract Submission Form to igcesh2010@utm.my.

Instruction for submission of paper will be available on http://www.sps.utm.my/igcesh2010/ or www.igcesh2010.com.

IMPORTANT DATES

Deadline for abstract submission: 31st May 2010
Notification of abstract acceptance: 15th June 2010
Deadline for full paper submission: 15th August 2010
Notification of full paper acceptance: 15th September 2010

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