Kim Farwell, P.Eng., was sworn into office as president of APEGGA on Saturday. She is the association’s 91st president and the third woman to hold the position.

Meet the new Executive Committee and Council

The Association’s primary awards were presented by APEGGA President Jim Beckett, P.Eng., at Thursday night's Summit Awards Gala in Edmonton.

By recognizing excellence in and acknowledging the contributions of individuals in our community, we also raise the public’s awareness of the engineering and geoscience professions.

See the 2010 Receipients

Clearly LASIK

APEGGA members and immediate family now enjoy a 15 per cent discount on LASIK (laser vision correction) at the Edmonton centre location. Receive free LASIK consultations and exam, and affordable financing options for your procedure. Surgeon experience of over 50,000 successful LASIK and PRK procedures. CUSTOM Wavefront technology, All Laser LASIK, state of the art facilities and welcoming spa-like environment. Mention that you have the “APEGGA 15 per cent discount” when scheduling your initial exam.

Calforex (Canadian Foreign Exchange)

With 26 years in foreign currency exchange business, Calforex provides market information and foreign exchange risk management strategies. Services are fast and simple, and the company is proudly owned and operated by an Alberta family since 1983.

Go to Member Benefits

Uses for Fireplace Ash and Charcoal

Depending on where you live, a wood heater can be a relatively Earth-friendly option for heating and be quite economical, particularly if you're fortunate enough to have easy access to a supply of wood.

The ashes left behind from a wood fire are also a valuable and versatile by product – don't just throw them away indiscriminately. Here are some great uses for your ash. Remember to exercise appropriate caution and spot test etc.

Fire helper
Lumps of charcoal shouldn't be removed from your fireplace if possible, just the ash – the charcoal will help kick along your next fire and get it cranking out decent heat far faster than a fire is started with wood alone. You could also save it and use it for summer barbecues, instead of commercial products that sometimes have toxic chemicals added.

Filter
Left-over charcoal (the black chunks, not the grey/white ash) can be pounded with a hammer and then ground into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle or blender. This can then be used as a filter medium. Note that it's not quite the same or effective as activated charcoal that you buy, so don't rely on it for filtering drinking water.

Pest deterrent
Sprinkle ash around the border of garden beds to repel snails and slugs. Apply after rainfall.

Ice
Wood ash can be used as an anti/de-icing agent – a little more environmentally friendly than salt or other chemicals used these days.

Making lye
Lye is used in the production of soap and biodiesel – white ash produced by burning hardwood is best for this purpose.

Compost
Add a dusting of wood ash to each layer of your compost as you're building it up.

Fertilizer
Ash contains potash (potassium carbonate), phosphate, iron, manganese, boron, copper and zinc. It can be quite beneficial as a natural fertilizer. Wood ash increases the pH or alkalinity of soil, so use sparingly. Black charcoal is a little different in that it has a much higher ratio of carbon – so this can be used more liberally.

Dehumidifying
Lumps of charcoal placed in a can punched with holes can help reduce moisture in areas such as closets, basements, under sinks, etc.

Cleaning
Dip a damp rag into ash and use to clean silverware, brass and glass. Ash added to a scourer can make scouring more effective.

If you do intend on using wood ash and carbon, be sure not to throw plastics, cigarette butts and such into your wood heater or fireplace as it can contaminate it. Ash should be stored in a metal container with a lid. Of course, you should also wait for it to cool before using for any of the above purposes.

Ref: www.greenlivingtips.com

Visit the environment pages

The APEGGA Board of Examiners is looking for professional engineers to fill the following position:

Electrical Engineering — Experience Examiner

The APEGGA Board of Examiners is a statutory committee created under the EGGP Act. The mandate of the Board of Examiners is to evaluate the qualifications of individuals for licensure in accordance with legislated requirements.

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GeoCanada 2010

GeoCanada 2010 is a once-in-a-decade opportunity for anyone who works with the Earth. Whether your focus is petroleum, base and precious metals, groundwater, geophysics, bedrock and seabed mapping, geohazards, uranium or environmental remediation, GeoCanada 2010 will present the latest developments across a complete spectrum of Earth Science professions. It is the ultimate opportunity to gain insight into your profession and the Earth, sharing experiences and knowledge with your peers from across Canada.

GeoCanada 2010 will be held at the BMO Centre, Stampede Park, May 10-13, and from May 13-14 at the ERCB Core Research Centre.

More Information

CCWESTT: Leading the Way 2010
Empowering Women, Building Communities

Some 400 attendees will enjoy two full days of keynote speakers such as Betty-Ann Heggie, Heather Bishop, Bani Dheer and Lydia Surasky-Matte, professional development workshops, networking opportunities, panel discussions and sightseeing.

Professionals from the public and private industries, human resources, academics, students, entrepreneurs – everyone is welcome. Encourage your workplace or organization to be a sponsor or join the 10 in 2010 Challenge.

May 13-15, the Fairmont Hotel, Winnipeg

More Information

2010 CSEG Student Industry Field Trip
Land Management, Acquisition, Processing, Interpretation, and Networking

The CSEG Outreach Committee has organized the second annual CSEG Student Industry Field Trip, scheduled to take place in the Calgary area, throughout the day of June 24.

This unique occasion provides university students studying geophysics a chance to explore the major disciplines handled by geophysicists in the energy industry. The experience includes tours and presentations from major land management, acquisition, processing and interpretation companies. Participants will be given a chance to interact and discuss questions with professional geophysicists at the four venues. It is also an opportunity to network with other geophysics students and future professionals from schools all over Canada.

The cost to participate is only $25, and includes breakfast and lunch along with a post-event social.  

Register Online

For more information contact Chris Steinhoff at crsteinh@ucalgary.ca  or students@cseg.ca.