Sustaining Portland's Economy
President Obama's and Governor Kulongoski's are not the only executive branches looking to stimulate the general economy by emphasizing greener technology. Mayor Adams and the Portland Development Commission are formulating the City of Portland Economic Development Strategy, a five-year plan for promoting economic growth and job creation. According to PDC's Peter Cunningham, the strategy is 50% complete with a target completion of early summer, 2009. The goal of the strategy is to build here in Portland the most sustainable economy in the U.S. The rationale is that Portland possesses unique advantages that make it a front runner to be the capital of the U.S. green economy. All this seems audacious for a city of Portland's size, but according to PDC, the Portland Metropolitan region possesses talent clusters 84% greater than similarly-sized regions for renewable energy and 43% greater for environmental services and recycling.
The concept of a sustainable economy as a three-legged stool is familiar to many: economy, environment, society. PDC has its own spin: sustainable job growth; sustainable way of life; and inclusive prosperity.
The Silicon Forest never really had a chance to rival the Silicon Valley or the Research Triangle in the race for Web-based commerce supremacy, because it was starting out from too far back in terms of both its industry base and its research base. There is no question, though, that Portland is a leader in policies promoting transit, land use planning, bicycling, density, a thriving central city, green buildings, and recycling. Portland may really be, rather than merely aspire to be, a front runner in the race to the most sustainable economy.
