Paper mill being torn down

I wonder if somebody will turn the big roller into art, like they did for the roller at bottom of this post? That painted roller has been sitting in front of the Bellingham Georgia Pacific offices for years.

Worse fates could befall a roller.

Bellingham's waterfront is going through a transition as population growth has been crowding out industry. Georgia Pacific cited rising electrical rates as one reason for closing the Bellingham mill. Pacific Northwest used to have cheaper power from hydroelectric dams, but growth in demand means new sources of power must be added to the mix. We've run out of good dam sites on our rivers. Other sources of power, such as natural gas turbines, tends to cost more. Even dams cost more as we worry about fish these days.

Worry, worry.

And the forests. Where will future wood chips come from for making paper? Tree farms, but how many are in this area?

Art doesn't take much electricity, but it doesn't pay a lot of "family wages" either.

Toilet paper, which was made in Bellingham, is still being used, but now it must come from other places.

GP also made clean pulp for photographic paper, but who uses that anymore?

Digital cameras.

The world is always in transition.

Future can bring higher tech, but lower consumption. Hopefully population growth can slow down so we don't cook the planet.