China’s first astronaut, Yung Liwei, was launched into space on October 15, 2003, making China the third nation on earth to put a human being in space on its own, along with the US and Russia.

I was leading a Vermont trade mission to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei at the time. When Yung Liwei returned safely to earth, the Shanghai Daily carried front-page photos of triumphant Chinese politicians high-fiving and shaking hands.

Page 17 of the same edition carried a story about an opinion poll. It had asked the Chinese people which they would prefer: for China to be a leader in space, or to have a clean environment. Seven out of 10 replied “clean environment”.

I thought, “Now there’s an economic opportunity for Vermont and Vermont job-seekers”.

In the US and abroad, our little state is recognized as a leader in environmental stewardship. It’s more than a nice image. It’s a Vermont brand and a Vermont capability -- strengthened today by the growing number of Vermont companies offering problem-solving environmental technologies to make our planet a cleaner, better place.

China is struggling with some severe environmental challenges. Of the 23 Vermont companies on the trip, several were there to sell environmental technology to China -- goods and services that can clean up existing contamination of air, water and soil, and prevent future pollution.

On the long flight home, we talked for hours about Vermont’s potential in this growing market. When we got home, I wrote “A Green Valley for Vermont’s Future” -- the foundation of an economic development initiative to create 21st-century jobs in Vermont by making our state the Silicon Valley of environmental technology.

On January 5, Governor Jim Douglas acknowledged the work we’ve done, and made the Green Valley a priority for his administration, in his 2006 State of the State address entitled “Making Vermont Affordable for Vermonters.”

In it, the Governor deftly puts his finger on the key forces and trends that will impact you and me and our state, for decades to come. He also proposes steps we can take today to make Vermont more affordable for Vermonters, and a better place for future generations to live, work and raise a family.

One of his key proposals centers on the Green Valley. In his words, “Vermont must become the international leader for marketable environmental products and the center of a global bazaar of environmental ideas. Vermont can become a leader in research and design, next generation manufacturing and export of environmentally related products. The environmental focus will provide new opportunities at every level of the economy all across our state.”

With Governor Douglas’ strong leadership and commitment, this promise can become a reality. His plan calls for direct investment in the University of Vermont and Vermont State Colleges to fund innovative research, programs and equipment. He also proposes creating a new Vermont Promise Scholarship program, designed as an incentive for young Vermonters to attend Vermont colleges, and stay here after graduation to build families and careers. UVM President Dan Fogel is a passionate and articulate leader for the Green Valley in Vermont’s higher education community. And Vermont Education Commissioner Richard Cate is excited about exploring ways we can best prepare our K-12 students academically for Green Valley opportunities.

For the Green Valley to reach its full potential, Vermont will need a skilled and motivated workforce, and the Governor’s proposals will help. We will also need private investors in order to get promising new small companies up and running. And we will need a climate in our state that welcomes the job-creators -- with lower taxes, an affordable and reliable power supply, vanguard telecommunications capabilities, reforms to workers’ comp and health care costs, and affordable housing.

During the past two years, I have spoken to numerous individuals and groups about the Green Valley -- from commencement addresses at Green Mountain College and Vermont Technical College, to grade school classes, to rotary clubs and business groups, to farmers.

The most consistently positive response has come from young Vermonters.

One time, after I had spoken to a group of Boy Scouts about the Green Valley, a mother got in touch with me. Her son had come home and announced, “I want to work in the Green Valley when I grow up.”

Forty years ago, he might have wanted to become an astronaut, like Yung Liwei. But cleaning up the world’s lakes and rivers, air and soil is as high an aspiration as I can think of for any youngster. With Governor Jim Douglas’ plan to build Vermont’s Green Valley, that boy’s chances of realizing his dream just came a lot closer to becoming reality.