March 28, 2024

Friday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 1/9/2015

U.S. adds 252,000 jobs as unemployment rate drops to 5.6%

The United States capped its best year for hiring in 15 years with a healthy gain in December, and the unemployment rate hit a six-year low. The numbers support expectations that the United States will strengthen further this year even as overseas economies stumble. More at the AP and Reuters.


Why one Florida city reversed its road diet

In mid-2013, a mile-long stretch of 8th Avenue in Gainesville, Florida, went on a road diet. Four vehicle lanes became two for cars and two for cyclists. The hope was that the design trial would convince local officials to adopt a permanent two-lane multimodal street. Those hopes ended in December 2014. More at Citylab.


Forget carbon offsetting, insetting is the future

Luxury Trends
Lab-grown vs mined diamonds: Can you tell the difference?

title
Shopping for diamonds?

If you are in the market for the prized gem, the next one you buy could be one that took billions of years to form deep within the Earth — or about 12 weeks at a lab in Singapore.

» More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Planting trees for carbon offsets is little better than green-washing in many people’s eyes. But what if this sustainability cliche were turned on its head – if trees were planted to support agroforestry within a business’s direct supply chain? More at the Guardian.


Supercomputers to boost weather forecasts

Hurricane predictions are about to become more accurate – and possibly more long-range. That's thanks to two government supercomputers, which will be upgraded this month to perform a staggering 1.5 quadrillion operations per second. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.


New chief named for Everglades, Dry Tortugas parks

The National Park Service named a new superintendent for Everglades National Park this week, sticking with a local who is well-versed in the complexities of the South Florida environment. Pedro Ramos will be the park’s first Hispanic chief when he takes over later this month. More at the Miami Herald.

Environment
Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition 2015

florida wildlife The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition, a non-profit organization focused on creating wildlife corridors to keep Florida wild, will launch Saturday, January 10. The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition team will hike, bike and paddle their way more than 900 miles across the heart of Florida on a 70-day long journey. Florida Trend readers: Keep an eye on this space - we will keep you updated on the Expedition's progress each Friday with videos, quotes, photos.
» More information, and meet the Expedition team, here.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

In case you missed it:

Florida Trend Video Pick

Structural technology keeps Skyway Bridge safe from mass destruction
Structural technology keeps Skyway Bridge safe from mass destruction

USF marine scientist Mark Luther, says dozens of concrete barriers protecting the bridge from collision is just the beginning of an ongoing effort to keep it safe.

 

Video Picks | Viewpoints@FloridaTrend

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