March 20, 2024

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58º | 20% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:12 a.m. | Sunset 7:23 p.m.
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Read this with your morning coffee

A person holds a cup of coffee up toward a setting or rising sun.

We’ll raise a mug to making coffee a greener, more socially responsible global beverage. | Photo by Bianca Gasparoto

Portland is passionate about its coffee. It’s also a city of people who take sustainability very seriously. Consumers and business owners are making it increasingly clear that where a product is sourced, how it’s made, and who it impacts are concerns worth paying attention to (and paying money to influence).

In the coffee industry, the chain of inquisition begins in the forested regions of South America and Africa where the beans are grown and extends to the landfill where a single-use coffee cup decomposes over decades.

Peek behind the espresso machine as we spotlight some of the players in the local coffee game who are actively working to make the industry a more socially and environmentally sustainable one.

It starts at the source

Thousands of miles separate Portland from countries like Colombia, but the distance hasn’t stopped companies like Stumptown Coffee, a certified B Corporation, from ensuring a fair, stable, and equitable partnership with producers and their farms. Most of the green coffee Stumptown buys follows a “direct trade” supply chain model. Beans are purchased directly from the same producers year after year and exported and imported through a fellow B Corporation.

Stumptown admits that direct trade isn’t perfect — climate change, for one, consistently presents challenges for all involved parties — but the company has inspired others to follow in its footsteps, blazing a trail for long-term relationships with lasting benefits for families and communities.

Eber Tocto, Stumptown Coffee’s direct trade producer partner for Peru Churupampa.

Photo by Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Nossa Familia Coffee is also committed to the concept of a “circular economy,” becoming Oregon’s first certified B Corp roaster in 2016 and upholding ongoing direct trade practices. In 2023, it donated $96,000 to local and global charities through the Giveback Coffee Donation program, $2,000 of which funded microloans for women-owned small businesses in Brazil, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Peru.

Electric roasters + reusable cups

Events

Wednesday, March 20

Ticket to Dine | Wednesday, March 20-Sunday, March 31 | Times vary | Locations vary | Price of purchase | Whenever you eat at a participating location, you’ll get a ticket and a chance to win local prizes, like free drinks, a round of mini golf at Wonderwood Springs, concert passes, and more.
Homer, “The Iliad": the Emily Wilson translation | Wednesday, March 20-Wednesday, April 24 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Literary Arts, 925 SW Washington St., Portland | $240 | This six-part series will read through one of the most famous texts of all time with a translation lauded for its “scholarly acuity and creative boldness that gives fresh life” to the war epic.
Matt Bellassai | Wednesday, March 20 | 8 p.m. | Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE Ninth Ave., Portland | $27 | From his early days of “Whine About It” to now hosting “Unhappy Hour,” this comedian focuses on his two favorite things: carbs and complaining.

Thursday, March 21

Ruby Ale’s 38th Birthday | Thursday, March 21-Wednesday, March 27 | Times vary | All McMenamins locations | Price of purchase | Celebrate this longtime sudsy staple with discounts and specials, like the Ruby’s Raspberry Cheesecake and boozy Birthday Bash Float.

Friday, March 22

Spring Medicinal Plant Sale | Friday, March 22-Saturday, March 23 | Times vary | Medicine Garden, 240 SE 87th Ave., Portland | Price of purchase | Shop for Western and Chinese medicinal plants that thrive in Northwest gardens and browse plant-based products, from tinctures to teas.

Events calendar here

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Wellness

A new way to manage treatment-resistant depression

a woman looks back over her shoulder and smiles

Unlike ketamine treatments, Spravato, an esketamine nasal spray, is FDA-approved and covered by insurance. | Photo via Unsplash

Did you know there’s an FDA-approved nasal spray that can help adults with treatment-resistant depression? Spravato, the game-changing medication, can be prescribed for adults diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression (defined as not having experienced sufficient relief from two or more antidepressants).

The local experts at Active Path Mental Health are on hand to help Portlanders who might benefit from adding Spravato to their wellness toolbox. Pro tip: It’s covered by most insurance plans. Schedule a free consultation to see if this treatment is right for you.

Learn more

News Notes

Weather

This week’s summer weather sneak peek left a mark on the history books. Monday hit 77 degrees, making it the hottest March 18 on record. But it fell short of claiming the crown for the whole month — March 16, 1947, still holds the record at 80 degrees. (KGW)

Outdoors

Warmth plus long hours of sunshine is a recipe for flowers. The cherry trees at downtown Portland’s Japanese American Historical Plaza have exploded into bloom, drawing hundreds of visitors to the waterfront. The seasonal spectacle can also be enjoyed at the Portland Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, and various parks. (KGW)

Civic

Metro is expanding its housing division. The regional governing agency plans to hire 18 new employees, bringing the department up to 44 staffers, as it irons out future plans to create new affordable housing using unspent tax dollars from Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. (Willamette Week)

Arts

Sydney Dance Company will return to Portland for a one-night-only show at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The Australia-based dance company will perform Rafael Bonachela’s ballet, “ab [intra]” (Latin for “from within”), presented by White Bird on Wednesday, April 10. Tickets start at $12.

Biz

Sweet dreams are made of these. Irresistible Food Group, a California-based company behind King’s Hawaiian Bakery, is the lead investor in Honey Mama’s latest funding round. The Portland truffle bar maker recently raised $8.7 million, which will help it stock more grocery stores with its raw, allergy-friendly treats. (Portland Inno)

State

Oregon has one electric vehicle (EV) charger for every 1,295 residents, making it one of the top 10 most EV-friendly states in the country, according to a study from iSeeCars. Thinking about buying one? Learn why Portland was the No. 7 city for EVs last year. (KOIN)

Sports

The Trail Blazers made a valiant effort but ultimately couldn’t pull off a win against the Bulls — despite a surprise (courtside) appearance from Damian Lillard — falling 107-110 in Chicago on Monday. Hear a breakdown of what went right and what went wrong in this episode of Locked On Blazers.

Finance

Pro tip: Consolidate debt to lower your payments. Pay off credit cards, medical debt, and more. Calculate your monthly payments.*

Trending

It’s the first day of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Shop deals like 30% off a Bose bluetooth speaker and 30% off women’s high-waist workout leggings.*

History

🌸 More than just pretty petals

A stone with the names of Japanese American incarceration camps sits in front of blooming pink cherry trees in Portland's Japanese American Historical Plaza.

One stone depicts the names of camps across the US where Japanese Americans were incarcerated. | Photo by Ben McBee, PDXtoday

For just a few weeks in late March and early April, crowds flock to Portland’s waterfront to pose for pics among the cherry trees in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. But beyond the dainty pink blossoms, each of the “Akebono” cherry trees are rooted in history.

They were gifted to the city by Japan in 1990 as part of the dedication for the Japanese American Cultural Plaza, designed by award-winning landscape architect Robert Murase. On the edge of Old Town Chinatown, also known as Japantown, the space serves as a memorial to the 120,000+ Japanese and Japanese American people (~4,000 in Oregon) who were incarcerated during World War II.

Visit to appreciate the various sculptures and poems that commemorate their hardship and “raise public awareness of the diversity of cultural experiences in America.”

The Buy

The Baby Shower Gift Guide. Give the gift of parenthood practicality or highchair high-fashion for the growing family in your life.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

From the editor

Our spell of summer-like weather is drawing to a close, but I made the most out of the rare stretch of 70-degree March days — and I have a slight farmer’s tan to prove it. The heavy dose of vitamin D has me ready to meet impending gray days in high spirits.

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