It was another freezing day today in Baltimore. And if you're in the Midwest, I really feel for you! Even those folks out in the Northwest are dealing with frigid snow storms that aren't typical for those regions. I bet our friends in Portland are dreaming of summertime right now. If you've ever been to Portland in June, you know exactly what I'm talking about too.

Of all the cities I've visited in the United States, Portland has always been the most impressive during the summer months. And if you're a Green Chip investor, it's also the perfect place to witness what a truly sustainable community looks like.

In fact, on our last trip to Portland, we found the city to truly live up to its status as the most sustainable city in the U.S. And believe me, we didn't skimp on a thing!

One Week in Portland

In an effort to take in Oregon's breathtaking coast, wine country in the Willamette, the city of Portland itself, and the amazing hiking trails at Silver Falls and Multnomah Falls, going "car-less" was not an option. So we decided to rent a Prius. (Incidentally, Hertz is one of the few major rental companies that actually offers hybrids. Fox Rent-a-Car is another if you're in California). There weren't many hybrid rental options, and the price was actually pretty reasonable considering we more than made up for the price premium with all the gas we saved. As well, by choosing the Prius over a comparable "non-hybrid" vehicle, we were able to emit a little less CO2. And certainly every bit helps.

Our first stop was the Willamette Valley, which is Oregon's leading wine region boasting exceptional Pinot Noirs It also offers a quiet respite from the rest of the world, and an overwhelming atmosphere of eco-consciousness and sustainability. .

We chose the Wine Country Farm B&B to call home for the first couple of days. Here's why...

Of course, this wasn't some fancy over-the-top resort. This is an old farmhouse with few bells and whistles...but a boatload of charm.

The location was perfect too, as Wine Country Farm is located fairly close to all the best vineyards and wineries in the area. Though, rather than hopping from wine tasting to wine tasting in our car, we met Jake, who took us on a wine tasting tour...on horseback. Not only did this allow us to get the full experience of wine tasting in the Willamette - but it also gave us the opportunity to avoid any unnecessary gasoline consumption.

Jake was a very interesting character with fascinating stories and a real passion for showing out-of-towners a part of Oregon that few ever get to see from behind a dashboard.

Now there were a few wineries that we wanted to visit that we couldn't get to on horseback. One in particular was Sokol Blosser. Sokol Blosser is USDA certified organic. They use 20 percent biodiesel in their farm tractors, and their underground barrel cellar has been LEED-certified. Sokol Blosser uses unbleached paper products for labels and wine boxes, and they pretty much recycle everything that isn't bolted down. Oh, and the Pinot Gris is spectacular!

Go West!

While we did try to avoid car usage as much as possible, there really was no other option to get to the coast. So after a hearty, homemade breakfast at Wine Country Farm (you won't find any instant oatmeal packages or plastic cinnamon rolls here), we set out for a gorgeous day of sight-seeing along a very small section of Oregon's 360-mile coastline.

Honestly, you could spend days just gazing over the cliffs and studying the starfish and hermit crabs in the tide pools that act as magnets for children and adults who still maintain childlike curiosities. But for the sake of staying within our maximum word limit for this piece, I'll stick with adding a few photos here so you get the idea.

One Sustainable City

It's been rated the most sustainable city in the nation more than once. It's a haven for progressive thinking, and a home for those who believe sustainability is not just a catch phrase, but an actual way of life.

One of the city's best eco-friendly attributes is its TriMet commuter rail system, which includes a "fareless square" where you can ride for free in the downtown area. This made it incredibly cheap and convenient for us, as nearly everything we did in Portland required nothing more than a quick walk to the rail stop from our hotel - which was also a nice spot for an eco-traveler to rest his head.

Hotel Monaco on SW Washington at Fifth Avenue, is a Kimpton Hotel that does its best to satisfy the progressive and eco-minded tourist. Kimtpon hotels boast:

• Eco-friendly cleaning products

• Organic and Fair Trade Coffee

• Recycling

• Energy Conservation

• Water Conservation (The hotel uses low flow systems for faucets, toilets, and showers)

• Honor bar that includes organic options

• Soy Inks (All corporate collateral is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks)

Kimpton also pushes its own social responsibility agenda that includes working with the Trust for Public Land, Dress for Success (a non-profit organization that provides interview suits and career development to low-income women entering the job market), and the Red Ribbon Campaign (which assists with HIV education campaigns and corporate donations).

And for those seeking a pet-friendly atmosphere, the Hotel Monaco provides a number of pet amenities and services, including dog beds, water bowls and treats. And there's no pet deposit or weight limit required! As a side note, Art, the hotel's "Director of Pet Relations" actually walked with us to the elevator, rode the elevator up and walked us down the hall. I don't know if it was intentional, but it made for a few laughs.

Here's a picture of Art's office:

Now our introduction to Portland came by way of a local epicurean tour. This 3 ½ -hour walking tour really gives you a sense of how important food and sustainability is to this city. The tour starts out with a brief overview of the F.L.O.S.S. philosophy - which is Fresh, Local, Organic, Seasonable, and Sustainable. From there we spent the next few hours strolling along some of Portland's most interesting streets, sampling microbrews, olive oils, coffees, soups, baked goods, and even an energy bar that was designed and sold by local (and award-winning) Chef Vitaly Paley. I'm not usually one for energy bars, as most are filled with all kinds of preservatives and synthetic food additives. But the Paley Bar is quite different, boasting some pretty tasty organic ingredients. It's even wrapped up in a partially biodegradable wrapper. The tour also made a brief stop at a place called the Tea Zone tea house, where I enjoyed some of the best organic green tea I've ever had outside of my own home.

Overall, Portland definitely takes its food seriously. The city even has a wealth of restaurants that cater to those seeking local and even organic fare. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find a non-chain restaurant within the city limits that doesn't boast some kind of local wine, vegetable or fruit. Spending most of my life so close to D.C., I really found Portland's marionberry to be quite amusing. And tasty too.

Of course, no food review in Portland can be complete without mentioning the local farmers' markets - of which there are more than a dozen of them within the city limits alone. And unlike here in Baltimore, where you might find one or two vendors selling organic produce, in Portland, you'll only find a small handful of vendors NOT selling organic produce. For the loyal organic consumer, Portland's markets will not leave you disappointed.

Now I know it may be hard to believe, but we did actually do more than just eat in Portland. In fact, the city's top attractions kept us quite busy. And fortunately, these were not the typical tourist traps one often finds when searching out those spots that visitor bureaus and chambers of commerce like to tout in glossy, non-recyclable brochures.

The Portland Art Museum had a fantastic collection of Northwest and Native American Art. The Chinese Garden on NW 3^rd and Everett had an amazing living collection of Chinese plant species (the Osmanthus was overwhelming), and the Japanese Garden was brilliant. Though I do recommend taking one of the free guided tours they offer, as the education you'll get really adds to the whole experience.

Overall, our trip to Portland was fantastic. While no vacation is completely devoid of a carbon footprint, limiting ours wasn't difficult. And as Green Chip investors, it's certainly reassuring to see how vibrant such a sustainable city can be. It truly represents what the future of our cities will look like over the next ten to twenty years.

To a new way of life, and a new generation of wealth...

Jeff