Posted on

green collar jobs

Green collar jobs are blue collar jobs in green businesses – that is, manual labor jobs in businesses whose products and services directly improve environmental quality (Pinderhughes, 2006). Green collar jobs are located in large and small for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and public sector institutions. What unites these jobs is that all of them are associated with manual labor work that directly improves environmental quality.

Here's more info:

We've been hearing about Green Collar jobs in Oakland for quite some time — because of Van Jones and the Ella Baker Center which is on 40th Street, a little over a mile from where we live.  The rest of the country is going to hear more about it so might as well link to the source of the Green Collar job concepts.

Posted on

energy check list

There are a couple of cool energy check lists to look at:

We had a $1200 energy bill last year, about 50/50 electric to gas.  Unfortunately this was an increase of 20% over last year, we increased our usage by 20% :-(  However, the average energy bill for a household in the US is $1900 – $2000 a year.

Our usage was about 4500 kwh and 415 therms in 2008 and going to use this as baseline going forward.

For PG&E customers, all this information is available online.

The goal is to decrease usage and costs by 20 – 25% next year and 50% in 5 years.

—–

Infrastructure things we had already done:

  • Energy star appliances (heater/air conditioner, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer/dryer) though our dryer is now electric versus gas
  • CFLs with most of our lighting except three way lamps, led under cabinet lighting, and "candle" type lights in the living room
  • Insulated floors
  • Double pane windows

Things to do:

  • Insulate attic and install attic fan
  • Research insulation for exterior walls
  • home energy audit
  • Continue evaluating use of solar panels and tankless water heating
Posted on

my Xbox avatar

This is my Xbox avatar – rebron2000.  The hair, glasses, blue polo, cargo shorts, and Keen's are about right; and sadly, this *still* may be my signature look.  I have upgraded my wardrobe in real life but thought this was fairly amusing.

In any case, if you happen to stumble on rebron2000 on Xbox live and he's kicking your butt at Halo or whatever other games I have, it's not me, it's a 10 year old or one of several 10 year olds.  Ha!

Posted on

2010 Michelin restaurants – SF/Bay Area

To try eventually…

Three Stars
The French Laundry

Two Stars
Coi
Cyrus
Manresa
Meadowood

One Star
Acquerello
Ame
Aqua
Auberge du Soleil
Aziza
Bouchon
Boulevard
Chez Panisse
Chez TJ
Commis
Ritz Carlton Dining Room
étoile
Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant
Fifth Floor
Fleur de Lys
Gary Danko
La Folie
La Toque
Luce
Madrona Manor
Masa's
Michael Mina
Murray Circle
One Market
Plumed Horse
Quince
Range
Redd
Santé
Solbar
Terra
Trevese
The Village Pub
Ubuntu

Posted on

general update

home

  • We only got to snowboard twice this season but awesome snow both times.  Hopefully can get in 2 or 3 more visits.
  • We've got a bathroom remodel that we're trying to target for June/Summer.  After that, we're about done as we can't really do much else to the house.
  • Here are those videos with George Carlin and kids 1, 2, 3, or Parenting 101

work

travel

  • nothing planned but considering a cruise or trip to Alaska sometime this Summer

volunteering

  • none, looking for opportunities

books

  • for Q1: The Intelligent Investor, Dreams from My Father, Truth about Money, (re-reading) The Joys of Motherhood

training/events

  • SF Marathon (registered); Marin Century
  • Pow wows: CAL in April, Stanford in May; others still tbd