Sunday, September 28, 2008

The US Clean Air Act Requires Accurate Tracking of Refrigerant Gases

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversees the U.S. Clean Air Act. Numerous issues are covered under the regulation, among them air pollution prevention and control; ozone protection; air quality and emission limits; requirements to prevent substantial deterioration of air quality; and stratospheric ozone protection.
The U.S. The act as originally created in 1963 by the U.S. Congress. Prior to its passage, there were numerous other measures pertaining to the improvement of the nation's air quality. They included the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955, the Air Quality Act of 1967, the Clean Air Act Extension of 1970 and the Amendments of 1977. Since its establishment in 1963, the U.S. Clean Air Act required several amendments and extensions to address new developments linked to air pollution and to assist states in complying with the law.
Overseeing the U.S. Clean Air Act is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Among the issues the federal law addresses are air pollution prevention and control, ozone protection, air quality and carbon emission limits (future additions), requirements to prevent substantial deterioration of air quality, and protection of the stratospheric ozone layer.
The U.S. Clean Air Act, while passed in 1963, was amended in 1990 with enhancements to the law. The changes and enhancements to the legislation included; acid rain controls, new auto gasoline reformulation regulations, implementation of a leak detection and repair program for AC/HVAC systems, new controls aimed at reducing interstate air pollution, establishment of a national permits program for HVAC-R equipment, requirements for attaining and maintaining national ambient air quality standards, stratospheric ozone and global climate protection, and provisions for enforcement of all regulations via fines executed against non-compliant organizations.
The U.S. Clean Air Act enforces air quality standards through the requirement of permits and certain monitoring and reporting methods. It also provides funding to U.S. states to implement clean air programs to monitor such things as air conditioning and systems containing refrigerant gases. Since implementation of the act requirements are conducted on the state level, the federal government supports each state with scientific research, studies and engineering design.
Through the U.S. Section 608, the place of the US government working with regulators in the EPA and U.S. states is clearly defined when addressing air quality measures. Specific measures to address interstate air pollution, as well as leak detection and repair for HVAC-R systems, are spelled out in the regulation.
Although the U.S. The U.S. Clean Air Act (section 608) details the requirements for proper air quality management. It is a nationwide law that often has state level amendments to tighten controls according to local priorities. A good example of this state by state implementation is the California Air Resources Board (CARB). They are working on requirements related to the increased control over refrigeration equipment in order to better manager, monitor, and report harmful refrigerant gases.
U.S. states are responsible for conducting permit application hearings submitted by a power or chemical plant, as well as administering fines on any company that violates air pollution controls. U.S. each US state is mandated to create enforcement plans to track how they will enforce and report violations to the law.
With the U.S. Clean Air Act, the air quality in the United States will vastly improve as smog and air pollution is significantly reduced. There are also emerging standards on carbon emissions management as it relates to our collective Global Warming challenges.
These measures contained in the U.S. Clean Air Act, in turn, will lead to better health for all who live on planet Earth and better control over our emissions of greenhouse and refrigerant gases. The act also brings to light problem areas and usage to assist environmental experts in developing measures to keep our planet healthy.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

What Can I Do To Help My Child Learn to Read At An Earlier Age?


Reading readiness is defined as the point at which a child is truly ready to learn how to read. Even though learning oral language comes naturally to humans, learning to read does not. We must go through a formal process of instruction before we can read.

Keep in mind that every child is different. Reading readiness varies greatly from one person to the next, and one teaching method may not work for every child. What worked for Steve may not work for Johnny, and what works for Johnny may not work for Amy.

There is no set age at which all children are ready, either. Do not worry if your child seems to be a bit of a late bloomer. Just support him as much as you can and try to nurture his reading readiness.

How Do I Know If My Child Is Ready To Read?
Of course, since the stages of reading readiness can progress at such different rates among individuals, there are no rules written in stone. However, there are some standard questions you can keep in mind when you are watching your child for signs of readiness :



  • Does he know what letters look like?

  • Can she detect a pattern within a story? Try this. Tell her, "My favorite color is pink.

My favorite fruit is an apple. My favorite drink is apple juice." If she responds, "My favorite show is Spongebob," then she understood there was a pattern, but if she responds, "The dog is silly," then she was unable to notice the pattern.



  • Does he speak in complete sentences?


  • Does she seem interested in being able to read? For example, does she point to road signs and ask you what they say?


  • "Can he differentiate between pictures and printed words?


  • Does she have the ability to pick up a book and open it the right way on her own?


  • Does he have a clear memory? For example, can he later remember what he saw yesterday?


How about last week?
How Can I Help My Child To Reach Reading Readiness?
You can begin helping your child to learn to read as early as you would like. When your child is just an infant, talk and sing to him as often as possible. Make sure you encourage his vocal noises as he tries to learn how to talk. Also make sure your baby has a lot of board books and cloth books. Allowing your infant to try to "read" his books by himself can help encourage important motor skills associated with the physical aspects of reading, like flipping through the pages and focusing on the images on each page.

Once your child has grown into a toddler, the possibilities for encouraging reading readiness are endless. It is absolutely crucial that you read to your child as often as you can keep her attention, and make it fun for her! Use a different silly voice for each of the characters. Get her involved in the story by asking her questions, like inquiring if she can point out certain pictures on the page.

Make reading into a fun game, and your children will absolutely love it. Here are just a few entertaining ideas that will teach your children to have a lifelong love of learning and knowledge:
"Put three or four toys that begin with the same letter on the desk or the floor. Add another toy—but this time it should be one that doesn't begin with that letter. Ask your child to name each toy, as well as pick out the one that doesn't belong.

"Consider drawing charts with pictures of items that begin with each letter of the alphabet, and ask your children to help you. Encourage your children to help you gather items for a scrapbook with images of objects that begin with all the letters. Make it into a long treasure hunt, and allow your children to feel a sense of accomplishment as they begin to pick out the right items.

Introduce your children to the world of poetry by reading books with nursery rhymes.

Explain to them how each line rhymes with the next. Once they begin to understand the concept, start saying a word to your child and asking him to come up with a rhyming word.

By playing fun and educational games like these, you can help your child achieve reading readiness at the youngest age possible. This means that you can give your child the greatest gift she will ever receive: she will learn to enjoy learning itself, and she will embark upon the journey of life with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

The Advantages Of Attending Community College

If you happen to be fortunate enough to live in a community that has a community college you should really make the time in your schedule to check and see what kind of classes they can offer that can help you advance your education and your career. You might be amazed at the different types of courses you can take even on the community college level. I know that I have found some of the courses that are offered and the degree of learning that takes place to be quite impressive. I think that many people who have in the past disregarded the important role that community colleges play in providing an affordable venue for learning will be quite amazed as well.
Community colleges have an undeserved reputation for inferiority when this could not be further from the truth. A good many of the nations nurses are products of community college educations. In many states, the associates degree nursing programs are quite rigorous and provide more clinical experience than most bachelor's degree nursing programs. This means that students graduating nursing school with an associates degree in nursing are often better prepared to deal with patient care than those who have the 'superior degree'. This by no means is meant to disparage B. S. Nursing students at all. In fact, most hospitals will not even consider you a candidate for an administrative nursing position unless you have the Bachelor's degree. This is only meant to point out that associates degree programs can be quite competitive and inclusive despite common misconceptions.
Of course there are other benefits to learning on the community college level, at least for the first two years of your education. One of those benefits that speaks volumes to me is the fact that teachers in community colleges are dedicated to teaching. They are not working on their own research or books. They are there for the purpose of helping you achieve your goals, which means you aren't an interruption in their pursuit of their own goals.
Community colleges also offer an excellent buffer for students who may not have been on top of their game academically in high school or those who are returning to college after a long absence from academia. You won't find the large auditorium classes on the community college level that major universities are famous for offering. You also won't find that teachers do not have time for their students. There is a lower teacher to student ratio in community colleges so that professors will have time to address the needs of students.
Another benefit is that even if you do not go on to get your four year degree after completing your community college education you will find that your earning potential is significantly improved over those who do not have at least a two-year college education. Research also indicates that students who complete a two-year degree program at a community college are more likely to finish and get a four-year degree than those students who begin their educational experience at a four-year university.
There are a few problems that can be associated with a community college education and you should take note of these so that they do not become a problem for you. First of all, some universities do not accept many of the courses that are offered on the community college level as transfer credits. Make sure that you know what courses are required for the university that you are planning to transfer to in order to avoid this. You also may find that you are limited on the courses you can take and the times in which they will be available. Make sure that you have all the limited courses well ahead of time so that you aren't taking another year of classes in order to graduate.
All in all, a community college education can be just as enlightening as a university education if you enter into the process with an open mind and a willingness to learn. I hope you take advantage of this much less expensive option before moving on to university courses if possible.

Friday, September 12, 2008

College: Its Not Always Where You Planned

All I knew about college was that I wanted to go out of state. I wanted to be on my own away from home, away from all things high school and start with new friends in a new city. I'd been to France, England, and Germany all on my own; and moved regularly while growing up. So, I expect it was no surprise to my parents when I told them I wanted to go to college out of state. At that time, I honestly didn't know much more about what I wanted out of my college experience or even what I wanted to become. The next four years would bring me the most unexpected and valuable learning experiences of my life.
My Dad and I had decided on Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee by the end of my junior year in High School. I liked the college very much. It had all the qualities I was looking for. Classroom sizes were small (the college itself wasn't more than 4,000 students), it seemed friendly, and I loved the look and feel of the Old English Architecture. It felt like it had been uprooted from 16th century England and plopped in the middle of Memphis. So, I applied for early admission and had gotten accepted. My grades were only slightly above average, but I had drive, many extracurricular activities that I had excelled in, and a killer essay. So I was packing my bags, leaving high school gladly behind, and heading to Memphis.
It's weird how most things in life don't turn out quite like you expect them to. This was no exception. At the beginning, I was glad to be at Rhodes College. When my parents dropped me off and left back home I was giddy and celebrating my new found freedom. I liked my roommate Anne, from New York and I quickly made other friends. I also plunged myself into extracurricular activities such as Student Round Table. No problem, right? Well, after a few months I really started to get more of a feel for the college and I wasn't sure it really was right for me after all. Rhodes College was great academically and I did make good friends, but the social scene revolved mainly around Greek life and Greek parties. And, without a car, there wasn't much I could do about that except not have much of a social life. So, I went to a few parties and on a couple of dates, but I didn't drink and I was never planning on joining a sorority. I found myself oddly enough unhappy and debating transferring to a different college with a better fit. I decided that I needed a college where the social scene was not centered around Greek life and where there were more people with my same beliefs and values that I could connect better with. So I applied to Rick's College in Rexburg, Idaho.
It's now called BYU-Idaho, but back then it was Rick's College. Nevertheless, I arrived as a sophomore transfer and loved it right away. I loved the beautiful campus, the good classes, and I definitely like the social scene a lot more. This was a religious-based college and I knew most everyone had the same values as I did. That made me feel a lot more comfortable while I searched for who I really was and what I really wanted to do in life. I soon discovered I love to write. I mean, I already knew I loved to write as I was the editor-in-chief of my high school literary magazine. But I discovered I really, really thought this was the right career path. I was enjoying being a part of the school paper and I really liked my advisors. However, at the time, Rick's College was only a two year school and that meant I needed to transfer, again.
So, in looking for a new college in which to continue my journalism major and graduate from, I started to look at what I had liked and not liked about my previous colleges. I loved the diversity of Rhodes college student body, but not the Greek life. I loved the strong values of Rick's College, but they seemed a little too strict for me. So I started to look for a new school that had a strong diversity of students, had the values I was looking for, but didn't have a million rules and had a good journalism department.
I decided on Utah State University. Although my Father was convinced I should go to BYU, I knew better. So, when I didn't get into BYU I was actually relieved. And what do you know, I got into USU. I had never even been to the campus before the day I arrived for my junior year, but my gut told me this was definitely the place for me.
Over the next couple of years I went on to get a scholarship from the journalism department, got on the honor roll, met life-long friends, and fell in love with the beautiful area. That same junior year I also met the man of my dreams, and got married the following summer. I graduated on time and continued to support my husband as he pursued his doctorate.
Now, six years after graduating from USU, I look back at all the colleges I went through and the long journey it took to get here. Choosing a college isn't always cut and dry, but neither are our desires in life. What we may think in high school rarely carries through our entire life, and the experiences of college only remotely center on the classroom. My experience was varied and unexpected, but all I can say is - I wouldn't change a thing.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

The Cost Of A Two Year Education


When it comes to college, you are considering an expensive proposition any way you look at it. There are however, ways in which you can greatly reduce your overall expenses when it comes to getting your college degree. The first method, which in many cases is the most preferred, is by attending a community college for the first two years of your college educational experience. Believe it or not you can literally save thousands of dollars over the course of spending two years on the community college level.

You will hear all kinds of arguments on why it is better to attend all four years at a university. The universities almost always make these arguments. Unfortunately, their opinions are a little bit biased in these matters. Most universities offer equivalent courses with community colleges meaning that the first two years of study should transfer with no problems or snags along the rocky road to your degree.

The universities make money each semester you begin class as a student. It is in their best interest financially to have you from the beginning rather than as a transfer. In fact, many universities offer lower level classes as auditorium classes. They pack more students into classes and have fewer professors or graduate students teaching the courses and maximize their money off the first and second year students rather than those in upper level courses. Yet another reason to consider a community college for the first two years of you education.

Getting back to the expenses of a community college, most community colleges are largely commuter campuses. This means you won't face the high housing costs that are associated with universities, particularly if you are attending college close to home. Community colleges also offer far less distractions that cost additional money than most major universities. This doesn't mean that there aren't ample social opportunities; it simply means that there are fewer of them. This also leaves fewer distractions than universities present when it comes to studying.

Community colleges simply cost less all around. While it would be nice if you could receive a full four year education at this level, they are able, for the most part, to keep expenses down by not requiring the level of qualification that universities require of their professors for upper level courses. You will have excellent, if not superior quality of education at lower levels than you would have on the university level, but you will also eventually need to move on to the university level in order to complete your education.

For this reason, you would do well to save half of your savings over university costs for each of the two years you are attending community college and apply it to your university education. This will ease the burden of the additional costs of the university and feel as though you are paying the same amount for tuition throughout your education regardless of the fact that you are literally saving thousands of dollars on your educational expenses.

Some states have educational savings plans that allow parents to save for tuition at current costs by enrolling. These plans cover two years of community college education and two years of university education. By locking in today's prices you are eliminating the inflation. When you consider the fact that college tuition is increasing at an alarming rate this is by far an excellent way to go. You should check with your state and see if they offer a similar plan to parents of younger children and what the requirements are in order to enroll your child today.

If you are looking for a real value in education whether or not you only go for your two year degree of move on to a university in order to finish your four-year degree you should find that a community college education offers a significant value for the money. Most people find that every penny they spent in a community college was a penny well spent.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Necessity To Attend Classes To Learn Chinese Language


According to the statistics one in five persons speak Chinese through out the world. No field is there in which Chinese people or people of Chinese origin have not made a name for themselves.


This genuine respect has come to them from their sincerity and hardworking nature.

China is becoming a popular destination for tourists and business men alike. Tourists visit China to see among other things, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, The Great Wall of China.


Majority of them attend Chinese language and writing classes with the intention to speak and understand the Chinese language. It is now possible to leaning Chinese for free through the Chinese language lessons being offered on the web.

The Global Services Delivery centers of many international corporations are being moved to China because of the necessity of Chinese language translation. There is necessity for help by them to communicate with local businessmen and also the Government of China . Interaction with China and the Chinese people is necessitated by China's growing stature in the global economy . Chinese people feel respected when you speak in Chinese to the people of China when you visit China. Seeing the growing popularity of China, there are many organizations offering free Chinese Language translation for people who deal with China for doing business .

Chinese is being learnt by some people out of sheer love for the language. In order to have an idea about China's marvelous history and its attempts to get over the ills of the gone times, the literature of China which is rich should be read .

In America, Chinese language translator jobs are available for people who have studied the language. For its citizens, America has identified Chinese as one of the four major languages that is important. This is also one of the reasons for the growing popularity of the Chinese language. There has been an increase in the number of people learning Chinese because of the number of opportunities available online. With the help of Chinese language free workbook Chinese can be learnt which will aid you to understand what you have learnt.

It is with the intention of finding attractive tourist spots that many people from China are visiting different countries across the world. The people who know the Standard Chinese language are needed by the countries that are visited to speak to their guests from China. A demand has sprung up for Chinese lessons. There are organizations offering people how to speak Chinese lessons for free.

There is an interest renewed in parts of the world for history and civilization of Chinese. Leaning to speak Chinese is needed for the people who want desire to learn about China's past. There are chances available to learn Chinese for free and one should take it to the fullest.

There are Chinese Language Conferences also being held frequently as it is spoken all over the world. This proves the importance of the language.

Thanks to the chances available in career for Chinese translators and also in China, learning Chinese has become so famous too. If you need to learn a foreign language, try Chinese.