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Tuesday | January 4, 2011

Large wind turbines.

Portland's Manufacturing Employment Edges Up; Continues To Drop Statewide
Portland ranks No. 21 in total manufacturing employment, though the number of manufacturing plants and industrial jobs statewide declined in 2010. According to Manufacturers News, Portland had 46,787 industrial jobs as of December 2010. Overall, the nation's top ten industrial cities have lost 95,805 manufacturing jobs, or 8.4 percent, since 2008.

Go to story: Ore. manufacturing jobs down 3.3%

Go to top 50 list: TOP 50 U.S. CITIES BY NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL JOBS

Monday | January 3, 2011

Energy use (kg of oil equivalent per capita). Graph: Google Stats

University Of Portland's Green Transportation Initiatives Take Root
At University of Portland more students, faculty and staff are using "greener" transportation modes. Discounted TriMet passes, a University to MAX line shuttle, carpool programs, Zipcars and increased bicycle ridership are all part of the mix. Fifty-seven percent of the University's 3,810 students live on campus.

Go to story: North Portland: University of Portland's green transportation programs breaking records

Go to Public Data Explorer: Google Public Data Explorer

Sunday | January 2, 2011

World primary energy demand by fuel.

"Future Is Black" Asserts Triumphant Will
In a recent op-ed, Washington Post columnist George F. Will found the opportunity give a big "thumbs up" to big coal while offering a backhanded "complement" to Portland ("a green reproach to the rest of us"). Will also pointed out the apparent irony that Oregon and Washington are phasing out coal-fired electrical generation even as Cowlitz County, Washington (just up the road from Portland) has "approved construction of a coal export terminal from which millions of tons of U.S. coal could be shipped to Asia annually." Taking another dig at the presumed eco-poseurs he imagines, Will smirks that "the future looks to greens as black as coal." In that case, the future is also more mountains with their tops savagely ripped off of them, more acid rain, more lung disease, more runaway climate change, more resource wars. Indeed, the future looks as bleak as coal.

Go to story: China has seen the future, and it is coal

New Year's Day | Saturday | January 1, 2011

Joyrider

Happy New Year & Joyride To The World!
From time-to-time, Portlandians may find themselves feeling a teensy bit smug over the breathless accolades routinely laid at the pearly gates of our greenily fragrant Rosebudtown. Portland is frequently praised as the "greenest" or "most sustainable" or even the "most bicycle friendly" city in the United States. Portland is also widely celebrated for having the foresight to establish an effective Urban Growth Boundary to try and control urban sprawl long before anyone else thought Urban Growth Boundaries were cool. But it took lots more work than merely drawing up urban growth boundaries for Portland to establish its "green cred." And Mia Birk is one of the many who're doing the hard work. For the past twenty years, Birk has helped lead a "crusade to integrate bicycling into daily life." But the fight for "sustainable living" is far from over. For instance, China--once considered "bicycle kingdom"--is now known for sixty mile traffic jams that last for weeks. Obviously, there's a lot more work to do. If you need a little inspiration, or just want to know where to start, you can come hear Birk talk about her experiences as she pitches her book at Powell's Books on Burnside this coming Tuesday, January 4th @ 7:30PM.

Go to story: Joyride

Go to Powell's preview: Joyride: Pedaling toward a Healthier Planet

New Year's Eve! | Friday | December 31, 2010

Office gossip.

Suction For Life
Are you a gossip hound? Do you like to eavesdrop on stray bits of chitchat that swirl around you? Well, today is your lucky end-of-the-year day! Now you can document the li'l tidbits that catch your ear. Here's today's aural captive:
(Two women exit a hospital emergency room and walk towards our gossip hound.)
Woman 1: So I said someone better get in there and suction him before he dies...
Woman 2: HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Woman 1: ... because I sure ain't gonna do it!

Go to story: Suction him

Thursday | December 30, 2010

BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY, TRAGEDY, MIKEY VEGAZ; 8pm Thursday; Berbati’s Pan.

Thug World Order
Lookin' to get an early start on New Year's partying this eve of New Year's Eve? How 'bout some hip-hop straight outta Cleveland? Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone and Flesh-n-Bone with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony appear tonight at Berbati's Pan. This Mike Thrasher Presents show also features Tragedy and Mikey Vegaz. Show starts at 8:00 p.m. at Berbati’s Pan; $25.00 advance, $30.00 day of show; All Ages!

Go to calendar: Portland Show Guide @ PC-PDX.com

Wednesday | December 29, 2010

Portland Farmers Market

Food Foragers Frequently Favor Farm Fresh Feasts
Portland's farmers markets attracted 700,000 food shoppers this past year, up from 620,000 in 2009. In addition to opening new markets at Pioneer Courthouse Square and on Northwest 23rd Avenue, Portland Farmers Market doubled the size of its Portland State University location. Portland Farmers Market closed for the season on December 17th and reopens on Saturday, March 19, 2011.

Go to story: Farmers Market gains traffic, sales

Go to market: Portland Farmers Market

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