Going Green

Eco-travel no longer requires sacrifices of style, comfort, or fun. Now that many of us consider earth-friendly practices as a matter of course, it is time to make sustainability a factor in our travels. And it is easier than ever to do.

Of course some things we have no control over (like the fact that most airplanes burn up a huge amount of fossil fuels), but you can mitigate things somewhat when you decide how much to pack (heavier planes require more fuel) and where you go on vacation in the first place.

And once you get to your destination and head out to dinner, consider if you really need to take that cab -- or will mass transit (or walking!) be a better option?

Perhaps the greatest gains in eco-friendly travel have been made in the hotel industry. Even the venerable Lenox Hotel in Boston offers climate-neutral rooms and offsets carbon emissions for electricity by 100%. For information about other hotels following this trend, see Green Lodging News or EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com. And no matter where you choose to stay, be sure to ask about practices such as composting, gray-water recycling, low-flow shower heads and toilets.

Some hotels have made major investments in using renewable energy sources and have installed hydro, solar or geothermal systems. But other practices require little or now investment at all: we applaud all hotels that don't automatically leave newspapers outside each guest's door, that encourage guests to forgo daily washing of bedding and towels, and that remind guests to turn off all lights and appliances when they leave the room (or better yet, have installed sensors that do this automatically). Other signs of a hotel's commitment to energy conservation include switching to long-life light bulbs, upgrading better insulation, and installing energy-efficient appliances.

So now, by making making sure your hotel is going green, when you go on vacation, your conscience can come, too.