Apologies and a Salute to Portland's Green Industries The Washington Note by Steve Clemons

Steve Clemons - October 14, 2009

I was supposed to be flying off to Portland, Oregon tomorrow to speak to the Portland Business Alliance on Friday on the subject of America’s “Green Trade Deficit.”
I very much looked forward to the trip not only to see a great friend, Jonathan Williams from Intel, who helped set this up but because I got a good dozen emails from folks who wanted to show me the green urban planning of the City and to do a Washington Note coffee chat on DC politics, policy and gossip.
Here are some of the “green accolades” Portland has received:

* No. 1, “Most eco-friendly big cities in America” – SustainLane.com (September 2008)
* No. 2, “Top 25 Green Cities in America” – Country Home (March 2008)
* No. 1, “Greenest City in America” – Popular Science (February 2008)
* No. 1, Cityscape / No. 1, “Environmental Awareness” – CNN/Travel + Leisure (October 2007)
* Best Cycling City in the U.S. – Bicycling magazine (March 2006)
* “Best Towns in the U.S. – The New American Dream Towns” – Outside magazine (August 2005)
* America’s “Best running town” and “Best urban running trail: the Leif Erickson Trail” — Runner’s World (May 2003)
* “America’s most unwired city” (best wireless Internet accessibility in the nation) — Intel Survey (March 2003)
* “The City of Portland has a nationally recognized reputation for green building innovation and outreach.” — U.S. Green Building Council (2003)
* “Top Recycler Among the Nation’s 30 Largest Cities” — Waste News (2001)
* “North America’s No. 1 Cycling City” — Bicycling magazine (2001)
* “Portland’s Forest Park ranked “Best urban park” in the nation — Outside magazine (Oct. 2001)

I have had to postpone the meeting because of an urgent and unexpected alternative meeting in the Middle East that I had to get to. I thank my friends in Portland for their flexibility and understanding.
I will be off to Amman, Jordan and Damascus, Syria tonight — if I get all of the visas needed within the day.
More on the Middle East trip later.
— Steve Clemons