Lowering your impact over the Holidays

Going green for the Holidays

If you are trying to live a more green lifestyle one place to start would be around the holidays. If you can imagine for a moment the amount of waste this country accumulates every Christmas for every family you would potentially envision a massive mound of wrapping paper and food debris. Here are a few ways to have a smaller impact on the Earth without being a Grinch during the holidays.

The easiest idea to remember is "Don't overdo it." I know it sounds like there is no Christmas spirit but seriously when you over prepare for parties there is entirely too much waste.

Holiday Cards

 Approximately 1.5 billion holiday cards make it through the post every Holiday season. Yes it is nice to send a card, but what do most people do with that card after a few days....it gets filed in the trash.

 An easy alternative would be to use an "e-card" ...there are plenty of website available to send e-cards.

 You could always make a phone call to loved ones

 Look for a card that has been made from recycled paper

 You could even make up gift cards from old holiday cards (excellent craft for the kids)

Entertaining

It may sound like a lot of work, but the best practice is to use all real tableware and silverware...even the napkins should be a washable cloth. However if washing all of those dishes by hand is not a possibility...check into products that are recyclable, been recycled, or biodegradable. Plan ahead and do a little homework...by not being rushed you won't be tempted into buying highly packaged and non renewable materials.

Also think about the food you are serving....from an earlier topic (precycling) we should always think about how much packaging and waste comes with some food.

Feel good about what you are doing

Remember we can't always be the most eco friendly that we want to be...however on large occasions or even any occasion that you can make an impact on the waste produced you should feel good about yourself. Every little bit counts as long as more and more people get the idea.

Make the holidays about spending time with humans...not electronics.

Tree - real or fake

Artificial trees can be reusable, but some have been known to contain lead.

Real trees are generally preferred for a few reasons. First a new tree can be planted in place of the tree you took. Second after the holidays you tree can be picked up and turned into compost. Third, with a little foresight, you can buy a pine tree with its root ball and after the holidays plant it somewhere nearby.

11 ways to a Greener Home

You have taken some initial steps to lower your carbon footprint and excess energy use, but your work is not done yet. Here are a few more things you can do around the house to continue the green initiative.

#1 Install bamboo floors

Wood floors are nice and durable, but the trees take decades to mature while bamboo is a grass and will mature in a fraction of the time. It may not be quite as durable as hardwood, but it will cost about half the price.

#2 Get your green thumb

Planting annual flowering plants is nice for the color, but they must be replaced each spring. There are plenty of flowering plants that will survive through the fall and winter to bloom again and again every year.Paring this perennial garden with a home compost for organic fertilizer is another smart choice.Instead of throwing away your vegetable remains begin a compost in a corner of your yard.

#3 and #4 Keeping Clean

Adults and children both need to be reminded to get the dirt of before entering the home. Outside mats and inside mats will greatly help to keep the amount of debris to a minimum. Remembering to wipe your feet and store your shoes near the door will greatly decrease the use of inside cleaners, paper towels, mops, hot water and vacuums.Remember that your little ones are always watching so be sure to set a good example by taking shorter showers, turning off electricity, and packing lunches in reusable containers.

#5 Update the Dishwasher

If you have an energy rated dishwasher don't be shy about using it. Hand washing dishes is nice and all but will generally use way more water than the dishwasher. An energy star appliance will use around 6 gallons for a full load while a human would use closer to 20 gallons to hand wash the same amount of dishes.

#6 The toilet

Traditional models flush 25% of household water down the drain. Updating to a dual flush model that has two different flushing amounts will greatly decrease the amount of water used. Traditional toilets use 3.5 gallons per flush, the dual flush toilets have an option for a little flush of about 1 gallon and a larger cascade about 1.5 gallons.

#7 Electricity

As a consumer you should have an option to get your energy from a renewable source. The price will be more for the green energy, but that extra money will help to sustain the energy you use. It will cost you about 15 more dollars a month to get 100 percent offset of carbon dioxide emissions from the generation of electricity.

#8 Work from Home

Whenever possible work from home. This will reduce the wear on your vehicle and the pressure on your wallet to fill the tank. Older equipment like copier and fax machine suck too much energy, updated devices often combine most of these functions and use less energy.

#9 E-Bills

This one is pretty simple...less paper mail means more trees get to live. Americans receive 4 million tons of junk mail a year approximately 850 pieces per household. You can go online and opt out for these prescreened credit card companies and other such junk.

#10 Solar Power

Charge your mobile devices with a solar charger. Most are fairly inexpensive and compact enough to travel. If you have a little bit of know-how you can even make a small charger at home.Need some light at night along a walkway or garden? get some inexpensive LED lights with solar panels for a cheap way to get some additional light.

#11 Expand your Conquest

Get on the internet or use your phone to peruse more suitable and sustainable ways to lower your carbon footprint.  There are plenty of apps available for iphone and android that will help with additional ideas and suggestions towards a greener lifestyle.

A quick word about American Power Group

About American Power Group






American Power Group’s innovative dual fuel system reduces operating costs, lowers emissions and
harnesses the potential of renewable energy sources. Realizing the potential for more cost-efficient,
greener and cleaner fuels aligns with stimulus initiatives for new energy solutions. Through the science
of combustion, we create systems for stationary and backup power, as well as commercial transportation
that reduces our dependency on imported oil and puts Americans back to work.

They are currently trading on the stock market @

APGI:OTCQB

A good american company trying to do something good for the world.

American Power Group Presents at the Benchmark Micro Cap Discovery Investor Confrence

American Power Group - APGI

LYNNFIELD, MA--(Marketwired - Dec 4, 2013) - American Power Group Corporation (OTCQB: APGI) announced today that Chuck Coppa, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in The Benchmark Company Micro Cap Discovery Investor Conference at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in Chicago, IL. Mr. Coppa will be available for one-on-one meetings with the investment community on Wednesday, December 11th. Please contact The Benchmark Company organizers if you would like to arrange a meeting (www.benchmarkcompany.com).

About The Benchmark Company, LLCHeadquartered in NY with 11 offices across the country, The Benchmark Company, LLC ("Benchmark") is an institutional brokerage firm that provides Research, Sales, Trading and Investment Banking services to public companies and their investors. To learn more about the 2013 Benchmark Company Micro Cap Discovery One-on-One Investor Conference in Chicago, please visit www.benchmarkcompany.com  or call Director of Corporate Access Vince Curatola at 414-203-5556

About American Power Group CorporationAmerican Power Group's alternative energy subsidiary, American Power Group, Inc., provides a cost-effective patented Turbocharged Natural Gas™ conversion technology for vehicular, stationary and off-road mobile diesel engines. American Power Group's dual fuel technology is a unique non-invasive energy enhancement system that converts existing diesel engines into more efficient and environmentally friendly engines that have the flexibility to run on: (1) diesel fuel and liquefied natural gas; (2) diesel fuel and compressed natural gas; (3) diesel fuel and pipeline or well-head gas; and (4) diesel fuel and bio-methane, with the flexibility to return to 100% diesel fuel operation at any time. The proprietary technology seamlessly displaces up to 80% of the normal diesel fuel consumption with the average displacement ranging from 40% to 65%. The energized fuel balance is maintained with a proprietary read-only electronic controller system ensuring the engines operate at original equipment manufacturers' specified temperatures and pressures. Installation on a wide variety of engine models and end-market applications require no engine modifications unlike the more expensive invasive fuel-injected systems in the market. See additional information at:www.americanpowergroupinc.com.

Thank you Yahoo Finances - APGI

The Great Basin in Wyoming. Geology Field Camp in Shell

Geology Camp Summer 2010 Shell Wyoming. 

Wyoming Geology Campus

There is not much to do out in the basin...however we did find some way to past the time. After some simple "kong" exercise I began to get a little more confident in my parkour skills and was looking for something more difficult than this 'kong' maneuver....however as you can see by the video I have much to learn

Wyoming geology campus

 I learned to parkour from the great Sali Kahn. He is grand master...I am noob

American Power Group - The Dual Fuel Engine that Could

APGI - American Power Group INC

American Power Group (OTCQB:APGI) presents a long investment opportunity whose entry point for the wise long is now. The APG story is compelling. What makes it more compelling is the story's setting… the current flash point of growth in the use and availability of natural gas. I outline all of this in great detail in my Seeking Alpha Instablog post on APGI.

Yet, a micro-cap having a story doesn't mean they have the means to bring that story to fruition, or that they will avoid doing so on the weary, diluted backs of early investors. APGI stands at the turning point of cash-positivity, even pending profitability, and uniquely has the resources and business plan to be the micro-cap story that succeeds.

How is this so?

APGI has already completed a vast majority of the costly "heavy lifting" needed for a successful rollout of its superior and perfectly-timed diesel/natural gas conversion units. This includes spending the millions of dollars needed to have accomplished all of:

• The testing and applications to receive an industry-insurmountable number of OUL engine family approvals from the EPA (~450). The Company is working to become the first retrofit technology to obtain IUL approval and estimates the cost to complete the top four engine families to be around $500K.
• Full patent protection of their technologies and methods
• Establishing the crucial partnership with The Wheeltime Network and the costs related to technician and authorized dealer training
• Establishing manufacturing capabilities
• Hiring appropriate support and sales staff at the company level
• Proactively facilitating the solidification of the share base into a solid, company-friendly group of major holders and retail investors
• The costs of many years and millions of breakdown-free miles on their dual fuel vehicular evaluation units and stationary use evaluation units (e.g. fracking rigs)
• Establishing major partnerships with leading companies in the natural gas realm, such as Blu and Evol

As such, the company's capital expenditure budget for the coming year and beyond will see a dramatic decrease. For APGI to gain EPA approval for the one remaining OUL engine family, and the four IUL engine families they seek for their business plan, the total remaining outlay will be a only about $500,000.

Thank you YAHOO Finances - for the complete story click here

Check Out Natures Web Store for the best prices on LED lights

Get the best in low cost, high efficiency, next generation LED lighting at www.natureswebstore.com. LED lights are very eco friendly, they also save you money on your energy bills!

You can get wind and solar heating parts for the DIY'rs and professional with 2nd day free delivery using your Amazon Prime. 

They all make wonderful and enchanting gifts too!

Geology: What is a rock cycle?

Earth Floor: Cycles

A very easy definition of a rock cycle is quite simple...everything you see around you, mountains or sand dunes, everything will eventually turn into a sedimentary rock. 

Ground Water Modeling ...not for the weak heart

Okay so this is a class at Iowa State in the Geology Program. It was a 400 or 500 level class depending on if you were a graduate student. Anyhow Bill Simpkins taught the class very well and even though there was only 11 or so of us, I had a great time....anyhow here is a snippet from his class.

Hydrology is the study of the groundwater. Well mostly anyhow...geology of the groundwater is about how water gets out of the ocean and into an aquifer. Water moves through the groound much like how electricity moves through any sort of medium. Ohms law governs electricity....Darcys law governs water moving in the saturated zone.  Q = -KIA is the secret equation.

What is Pure Sand? SiO2...Its called Arkosic Arenite

This is a lesson I learned very early on at Field Camp...its about the difference in grade of sand. Pure sand is a collection of very mature quarts crystals...the term mature here refers to the idea that as sand is transported from one place to another the sand as a whole will loose various weaker minerals. If the sand moves around from sea to mountain and it makes it all the way to the middle of a large craton (this would be the interior of the continental USA).

Craton:

craton,  the stable interior portion of a continent characteristically composed of ancient crystalline basement rock. The term craton is used to distinguish such regions from mobile geosynclinal troughs, which are linear belts of sediment accumulations subject to subsidence (i.e., downwarping). The extensive central cratons of continents may consist of both shields and platforms. A shield is that part of a craton in which (usually) Precambrian basement rocks crop out extensively at the surface. By contrast, in a platform the basement is overlain by horizontal or subhorizontal sediments

Anyhow...the sand will then be made mostly of quarts grains that are nice and round....making this layer of rock a wonderful source rock. Source? ...a source to all sorts of things. Oil...natural gas...who knows....

A sandstone that is made mostly of quarts grains is called Arkosic Arenite. 

• classification  (in  sedimentary rock: Classification of sandstones) ...rocks whose sand grains consist of at least 95 percent quartz. If the sand grains consist of more than 25 percent feldspar (and feldspar grains are in excess of rock fragments), the rock is termed arkosic arenite or “arkose,” although such sandstones are also somewhat loosely referred to as feldspathic sandstones. In subarkosic arenite (or subarkose), feldspar sand grains likewise...
  

 Above is a chunk of quartz sandstone. 

This type of deposit is referred to as Arkosic Arenite. 

The term describes the pureness of the sandstone. 

Below is an image of sand that is mostly only Quartz grains. 

This pure sand will be moved and deposited permanently somewhere

and will form a new layer of this pure Arenitic sandstone. 

  Thanks you to Britannica Online Encyclopedia for the help with the geology terms. 

Silicate Part 2 - Sorosilicates

After the Neso and Ortho silicates come the Sorosilicates.

These are less in number than the first type of silicon mineral and their crystal structure is a bit more complex. Their structure is more like isolated clusters of double tetrahedra  that attach at the points where they can share an oxygen molecule.

Tanzinite (Ca₂Al₃(SiO₄)(Si₂O₇)O(OH)) is an example of a Sorosilicate. Not exceedingly interesting but these double tetrehedra are the next step in the silicate family. From here on out the structure gets more complicated quickly.   

DIY Whole House Renovation Update - August 2013

Well it has been a long struggle to make some progress, but I think we are almost finally done destroying stuff in the house and ready to put stuff back together. Currently I am working with a company to get some HVAC installed....yes the house was without central air for about 3 months......but it will finally be back in very soon! This whole process has been incredibly challenging for me and my significant other....but we are keeping out heads up and working forward to get back into the house.
Lucky for us we found some friends that would let us live with them for a few months...otherwise this project would have been much, much more difficult.

Silicates Part 3 - Cyclosilicate

Next in our journey through the silicates is the cyclosilicate. This silicate uses the same building blocks as the previous silicates...except this time there are more of them and in a complete ring formation. As we continue through the silicates you will notice the structure gets more and more complicated, but every silicate is still made from the original units known as tetrahedrons (SiO4)






A good example is the mineral Benitonite (BaTi(Si3O9))
-3 ring formation

Or an Emerald Be3Al2(SiO3)8
-6 ring formation

Fun Fact:
Emeralds are much more rare than diamonds....yet diamonds are still more expensive.

Field Camp - Grand Tetons

This is me...at that time

Field camp...or 'space camp' as my friends liked to tease me...was a hands on geological learning experience. This particular post is about the Grand Tetons in Wyoming....and while we did not have any particular assignment here....the purpose of this little exercise was mostly recreational and educational. I did not appreciate the experience as much as I should have...however I was able to snap some very nice pictures...

These were my friends...the fishermen...at that time

Grand Tetons

Grand Tetons Mountains

American Power Group Corporation Engages Porter, LeVay & Rose, Inc. for Investor Relations

American Power Group Corporation (OTCQB: APGI), announced today that it has engaged Porter, LeVay & Rose, Inc. (PLR) to provide investor relations services.

Chuck Coppa, Chief Financial Officer of American Power Group Corporation, said, "We are very pleased to engage PLR to lead our investor relations initiative. Michael Porter has extensive experience with microcap companies and a deep understanding of the Company's technology and goals. 

We look forward to working with PLR to expand our outreach efforts and raise awareness of American Power Group among investor audiences and look forward to leveraging the breadth and depth of knowledge that Mr. Porter and his team will bring to American Power Group Corporation."

PLR is a premier full-service investor relations and corporate communications firm that has functioned as a principled and responsible liaison with its clients' stakeholders for four decades. PLR represents clients in a wide range of industries, including technology, biotech, medical devices, manufacturing, business services, and retail. Find PLR online at www.plrinvest.com.

For more information check out the news release: APGI - Etrade

Solar Energy....why bother?

Why should any of us bother to use solar panels?

Solar Panels on a House

• Solar energy is just about as natural as it can get....besides the small cost to put the panels together and ship them around the world.
• The sun is the engine for the generation of energy. The very same engine that has fed the entire planted. The same source that had made that fossil fuel millions of years ago. 
• We must utilize the power of the sun for use now...not in millions of years.

Okay fine...so what can you do with solar panels?

• Yes you can charge just about anything given enough solar panels. It takes about 36 cells if you buy them in a 3X6 grid...each one of them will produce approximately 1/2 volts so if you can get 36 in series you will be able to produce 18volts. In our case 18 volts would be enough to charge some 12volt batteries. 

Great but that seems expensive....I mean brand new solar cells are quite costly...

• That is true however if you are willing to invest in some new panels you can also purchase some cheap damaged panels from ebay or even from the warehouse. All you would need to do is discard a few of the damaged cells and replace them with new cells you will be able to make more panels for a lower cost.

The investment is just too big for me right now...I won't be able to afford anything if I spend all my money in panels...

• We all know that feeling...however there is another perk to using a renewable energy source. Two terms are used to describe the fact that the city you live in will have to buy your excess energy produced by solar panels. 
• A Feed-In Tariff is a term used when a utility company sets a set rate for small energy producers. These prices are usually higher because the utility company can just as easily pass that price on to their consumers. This pricing practice generally removes the volatile nature of the wholesale market.
• Net Metering would be something quite different. This makes better sense for those small energy producers that will generally always use more energy then produced. The idea is when energy is generated using a green method the utility meter on the house will roll in the different direction. This means the consumer can ultimately get paid if the household produces more than it uses.

Hmm...well that sounds a little better.

Topic for today: Energy consumption

Energy Consumption

        

    Energy consumption in American is a large problem that needs attention. There are many countries that use less energy than the United States, but there are also some that use more. Devices have been made to measure appliance use in real time to give homeowners a better idea of how to use efficiently. Home owners can also reduce their consumption by using energy efficient appliances. Easy steps can be taken to lower our energy consumption, and we all should pay more attention to how we use electronics. Cities and towns should be better constructed and planned better to transport energy without excess loss.

            In 2005 the average residential monthly utility used of electricity was 938 kilowatt hours. That does not take into consideration how some areas in the United States are far more densely populated than others. That number also does not factor in the many colleges and business areas in the United States. Some of these places do not turn their lights or computers off at night. College campuses have many buildings with sections set aside just for computers. These computers get accessed all day long and never get shutdown. One or two computers does not make much of a difference however all of these little electronics add up, especially if we are to include the entire world. There are plenty of states and companies that are striving to make a difference, they have implemented various schedules that will lower energy consumption. Different tactics like employee car-pooling, four day work weeks and public transportation are various ways some companies are adapting to the current energy demands. 

            In 2008 the United States used 13,654 kilowatt hours per capita and we are on a steady upward slope. Finland and Canada used more at around 16,000 kilowatt hours. More densely populated areas such as china can be found at the bottom of the list with 2,455 kilowatt hours, but that is subject to change as the middle class in china will be major energy consumers in the near future. In Iowa the average retail price for one kilowatt hour was 9.45 for residential use on January 2011. Iowa is not bad compared with Hawaii at about 30.00 per kilowatt hour and Connecticut which has residential electricity for 16.00 a kilowatt hour.

            There have been devices made that can measure the use of kilowatt hours in real time in the home. These devices may be a little expensive however the save much more energy over the long run. The Energy Detective or TED is one of these devices that can be installed easily into the home and give an accurate read out for the entire house. Energy efficient appliances have made progress by lower energy consumption in the residential and even commercial areas. They are generally a little expensive up front but after a few years of use the energy saved will displace the cost. There have even been tax incentives initiated by the president to provoke the general public to buy these higher rated energy appliances. Regular light bulbs should be replaced in the home by the more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs to lower energy consumption easily and effectively.

            Every single person can help lower their carbon footprint by paying attention to the appliances we use. As a country we are using less energy than some other more industrial countries. Home owners should take steps to make sure their house is energy efficient by using devices to monitor kilowatt use and also purchase energy efficient appliances. Our cities could be set up much more efficiently to transport energy without loss of energy.

           

           

           

             

Global Plans to Stop Meteorite to Earth Collisions may have political problems

Meteorite entering earths atmosphere

The United Nations should theoretically be trying to prevent many different problems, but there is something more concerning and more catastrophic than mass genocides, climate change, or weapons of mass destruction combined...the possibility of an asteroid strike that could completely exterminate humanity much like the dinosaurs. 

The recent meteor that exploded over Russia had 30 times the energy of the Hiroshima nuclear explosion – and it was only one-third of the size of another asteroid that nearly grazed the Earth, according to astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who recently spoke in a CNN interview.

This is a very concerning situation. It's even more concerning when you realize there's no global organization to handle the prevention of a meteorite strike. According to Tyson, while organizations such as NASA have the ability to detect and track asteroids, there is no organization – nor a plan in place – that would prevent such a catastrophe of an asteroid impact.

"We have no capacity to protect Earth from something that small,” he said, referring to the asteroid and meteor.

Tyson suggested that we, as a species, need to get some sort of global plan together to prevent our extinction.

What you really want, I think, is a world organization, maybe every country chips in, in proportion to their GDP, something sensible like that. And then there's a pot of money, and whoever has thespace-faring resources at the time it's necessary – space-faring know-how – would then tap into that money, and then you save the Earth,” he said.

But, in politics, people generally don't group everyone together as “species,” they think of each other in terms of countries, races, classes, ideologies, and any other divisions they can come up with in pursuit of political gains – which was something Tyson mentioned:

“When do we start concerning ourselves with a budget to handle it? If it's going to come in a 100 years, what do you say? 'Oh, let our descendants worry about that and their Congress.' Eighty-eight percent of Congress faces re-election every two years. That's not a long enough time scale to match the time scales that matter for our survival,” he said.

More on this Story about Meteorite Earth Collisions 

July is here and we still have a lot of DIY home renovation to get done

Well Friends, Family and Acquaintances it is the 7th month of the year and we all know what that means! My birthday is coming up!
Now I know birthday gifts are fun and I really appreciate all the funny cards and t-shirts and stuff but really this year I just don't need anything like that.
As you can see by the video below...
Please rescue our renovation.




I don't need sock or underwear I need 2000 square feet of insulation and 2000 feet of electrical wire and about a dozen led lights for new can lights and 2000 square feet of drywall etc etc
So if you could please find it in your hearts to donate to the house below you will find a link to my paypal account.

I would prefer to not waste money on a card or even postage for the card....and remember even 5$ will help bring us closer to our goal.

Thank you very much and I hope you enjoy the video.

Taaffeite - a very rare stone

Taaffeite
 - pronounced TAR-fite, first discovered by Edward Taaffe when searching through a box of spinels (1945)
- a very rare beryllium magnesium aluminum oxide gemstone found today in Sri Lanka, Burma, Madagascar and Tanzania




Is it a variety of spinel?
- most certainly not, Red Taaffeite is FAR MORE RARE than red beryl (bixbite). Red beryl has an RI (refractive index) of 1.564 to 1.602 and a SG of 2.70. Taaffeite has an RI of about 1.72 to 1.78 and an SG of 3.60 to 3.61. Differentiating the two is very basic gemology. It also shows a distinct double refraction that will further help identify the difference.


How can you tell the difference?

- Spinel has zero birefringence. Taaffeite is doubly refractive. A polariscope is an inexpensive and very satisfactory instrument for the detection of double refraction. This would be first stage separation in the field since if you find a gem that looks like a spinel and is doubly refractive, then you know it is not spinel and could POSSIBLY be taaffeite.

Natural gas Penetrates 6% of Land Drilling Market

American Power Group

The Zeus conference concludes that natural gas has slowly replaced the use of diesel fuel. APG and Prometheus Energy have reported that 70 out of 1200 of Americas land based oil rigs are now powered by gas from LNG, wellheads and pipelines.
This is great news because when you drill for oil you will almost always find an abundance of natural gas above the oil. Generally in the past this gas is set on fire and released into the atmosphere....which is a waste of fossil fuels.


Thanks to American Power Group and their generators oil drilling operations can use their own gas to power the oil rig and the entire site.

The electricity to power these rigs is commonly supplied by large reciprocating engines, according to Lyle Jensen, CEO of American Power Group, a manufacturer of diesel-engine conversion kits. He explained that each rigs is commonly powered by three units, 
ranging in size from 750 hp (0.6 MW) to 1,500 hp (1.1 MW).

Read more about - APGI - Etrade News

A moment on reliable energy from American Power Group

American Power Group

Straight from the website for Dual Fuel Reliable Power at APG,

About 1,200 people live and work at the campus.
The facility has three 725 kw engines for on-site generation, giving it added security and the ability to “peak shave.” When power rates are at their peak, the facility shaves its bill by generating its own electricity.
Two of the generators run on 100 percent natural gas. The third, a diesel generator, was converted to APG’s Dual fuel. Converting to Dual fuel is cheaper than converting to 100 percent natural gas, since it does not alter the way the engine works. And Dual fuel allows the engine to use 100 percent diesel if natural gas supplies are interrupted.
“In case of emergency, we have the flexibility of using diesel to keep our emergency systems running,” says Juan Mata, plant manager of the Watchtower complex. “Dual fuel allows us to perform without interruption. We have both flexibility and security.

This may not be the absolute solution but we have an abundance of natural gas in America.

Stock symbol APGI

Bathroom Renovation - Progress is a slow process

Here is some more progress on our first house renovation....currently we will be removing all the existing mess that is the current bathroom and replacing it with something magnificent. I highly recommend that you hire a plumbing contractor and electrical contractor to do the work, but if you are like me and need to same some money be sure to ask around before you settle for anyone to do the work.
If you think you are handy and have the time to do the research try and find a contractor that will check your work when you are done so you will pass the home inspector from the city....also be aware of all current city codes because you will regret the whole project if you do not know what you are up against.

American Power Group receives follow up order worth 500,000 from Oil and Gas drilling companies

More god news for American Power group (APGI).

The orders are for the upgrade and conversion of additional diesel generators on drilling rigs for operation using APG's Turbocharged Natural Gas(TM) Dual Fuel System. SourceOne Engine Equipment, LLC, our domestic Dealer/Certified Installer booked the orders. While the end customers were not disclosed for proprietary reasons, a recent industry survey ranked these three companies among the top 50 oil and gas exploration and drilling companies in the United States.

Lyle Jensen, CEO of American Power Group stated, "Currently more than 20 of the top oil and gas exploration companies in the United States are running APG's Turbocharged Natural Gas(TM) Dual Fuel System on their drilling rigs with over 75% of those running multiple dual fuel powered drilling rigs. During April, we invoiced a record $1 million in oil and gas related revenue based on previously announced and new orders." Mr. Jensen added, "At a time when global diesel prices continue to escalate, the ability for oil rig operators to use our dual fuel technology with either inexpensive well-head gas or plentiful domestic natural gas as a supplemental fuel provides a significant competitive advantage over operators running on 100% diesel fuel." 

Information gathered from Etrade - APGI NEWS

Whole House Renovation - DIY projects

When it comes to buying an old house there is just no way around renovations. Especially when you start one small project and realize your house is not exactly as advertised. Now you have to call over the city inspector to check out the damage.....we had a bad experience with a home inspector. My advise is have them look at only the one section you are changing and then do not argue with what they say....just do it because if you hurt their feelings your project will be put on hold forever.
If you are a Do It Yourself -er I highly recommend doing your homework. Just because you saw it once of television doesn't mean you know what you are doing.
Do not make the problem worse by cutting corners.
We are taking the whole house down to the studs to re-wire and re-plumb everything correctly....also we are making the main floor layout more open.

Here is an update on our project.

Sedimentary Deposition Environment - where does the debris go?

Sedimentation
Where does all the debris go that has been eroded and how does it form a rock?

The general idea behind sedimentation is simple. Rocks are uplifted and then eroded by some medium, water or wind generally, and then once certain conditions are met the debris is deposited based on several variables. Generally speaking the smaller the particle and the high energy the medium the further that particle will get before it drops from a suspended load. This first image shows where certain particles generally settle out. Sand being the coarsest will drop out first, quarts and feldspar. Then the smaller clay particles will drop out, kaolinite, illite, chlorite, and vermiculite. Then when we get into the warm water one will encounter limestone, generally built by millions of dead sea organisms which have a calcium based shell. 
If you find this pattern of rock types you have encountered a sedimentary facies.
A facies is a pattern of rock type or rock unit that is different from adjacent rock units...depending on the depositional environment. A more detailed explanation of facies is to be explained later....

Sedimentary Deposition Environment

Now that we have an idea of facies...here is another pictorial example of where you may encounter different rock units depending on the depositional environment. We can see here that a swap will show shale and coal facies while the near shore environment will give us examples of sand and silt facies.

Sedimentary Facies

Home improvement tip will save energy and save money

Alright so you have taken the time to get your attic insulated and you are feeling pretty good about your 500-ish dollar investment...but what if that just isnt enough? There are almost more home improvement projects to be done.








New Windows! The home improvement tip for the month is to replace old double hung windows with new efficient windows. Don't worry if you cannot replace every window in your house at once because I sure cannot afford that, but I have been replacing them a few at a time as money permits.
It might feel like a large expense up front, but trust me when I tell you those windows will make all the difference in the world.

There are some myths out there so do your homework and don't be fooled.
For instance there is this idea that covering windows with aftermarket film will reduce damaging UV rays....this is not the case....in fact some window companies wont ensure any of their windows that you have covered with a film because that film causes the windows to crack or break.

Another myth is about sealing old windows shut in order to save money...this may be a good idea a the time, but in all reality it is not helpful. Sealing windows is a safety hazard and should be avoided at all costs. Windows are in place to ventilation and possible emergency exits.

And the list goes on...

USA climate zones

Here is an image describing some factors that determine how much energy your windows allow to flow through the house.

Window U Factor Table

Field Camp - the campus

Field (space) camp continued with a look at the environment the young geologist had when out in the Big Horn Basin in Wyoming...believe me this is a vast improvement from years before. One reason for this blog and all the other nonsense was to earn some funds to donate to the field camp to update their equipment and what have you.
It was a little rough at first, but very soon this place became my home. We even had a horse shoe pit set up for entertainment...I happened to get pretty good after a while.