C5ALIVE Forum

C5Alive General Category => C5 Socialising => Topic started by: danny7147 on 11, September, 2013 - 18:49:40

Title: Distance learning
Post by: danny7147 on 11, September, 2013 - 18:49:40
Right, after years of pondering, I've finally succumbed to temptation and signed up for a degree course with Open University. Ironically it was actually writing the C5 book, and the EV1 book that prompted me, as it's in environmental science so I can use my electric vehicle knowledge to an advantage, as well as learning more about the environmental impact that lesser transportation (ie MGF' s) have on the planet ;)

So... has anyone else had dealings with the Open University? Stacy's just got an apprenticeship which means I'm now giving up my job to become a full time daddy and as I'm only doing one module a year should have ample time in the evenings to study!
Title: Re: Distance learning
Post by: coverman on 12, September, 2013 - 11:12:04
Howv many years will that take?
Good luck with quantifying environmental impact of cars- factory floor-showroom floor is hard enough to calculate and the lifetime impact depends on so many variables such as ambient temperature throughout life, maintenance schedules, mileage and manner of driving and end of life disposal method.Where you would obtain accurate average data for all this is mind boggling.   
Title: Re: Distance learning
Post by: danny7147 on 12, September, 2013 - 13:20:43
Well, in theory 6 years part time based on one module a year, although my wife's just started working and I'm giving up to look after the kids so depending how it goes I might do two modules next year. Regarding electric vehicles though, this course is far more generalised looking mainly at things like deforestation, climate change etc but I can use the stories to show what efforts are being made to ease away from fossil fuel dependancy :-)
Title: Re: Distance learning
Post by: coverman on 13, September, 2013 - 10:55:43
 The UK Government are of course in the process right now of moving their support away from electric vehicles to hydrogen powered ones. Expect a very damp atmosphere in towns in a few years time, and possibly but hopefully not,the odd explosive fire too.in the meantime spark ignition engines are rapidly catching up compression ignition ones in the economy stakes, so with fracking due onstream soon, spark ignition CNG powered cars will probably replace diesel propulsion by 2020.(anticipating a hefty tax on CNG for road use sooner rather than later).
Title: Re: Distance learning
Post by: dansretropod on 22, September, 2013 - 08:31:48
Sounds like a great idea :D I gave up a naff (poorly paid) office job many years ago and, through distance learning (not the OU), ended up becoming a web developer, now I do something I love doing and build websites for a living ;D

Good luck!