Putting the ‘eco’ in tourism

At home, you drive a hybrid, recycle as much as you can and compost. But what about when you are traveling? Here are some sources to help you go green on the road. -- Vani Rangachar

Program: MyClimate, Sustainable Travel International

Washington, D.C.

www.sustainabletravelinternational.org

The means to green: Go to “Our Programs,” then “Carbon Offsets” to calculate the CO2 effects of your flights, car travel and hotel stays. Then you can buy “offsets,” to mitigate your carbon output, which are invested in energy-efficient and renewable-energy projects through a Swiss charity.

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Program: TerraPass, Menlo Park, Calif.

www.terrapass.com

The means to green: Calculate your carbon footprint for flights and car travel. Purchase a pass, and the money will be invested in clean energy projects.

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Program: California Green Lodging Program, Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacramento

www.ciwmb.ca.gov/EPP/GreenLodging

The means to green: Offers a directory of eco-conscious hotels that practice waste reduction or use energy-efficient methods.

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Program: EV Rental Cars, Los Angeles

www.evrental.com

The means to green: Rents hybrids and electric vehicles in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

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Program: Carbon Zero, Conservation International

Washington, D.C.

www.conservation.org

The means to green: Click on “Calculate Your Impact and Go Zero,” which allows you to figure out what you need to donate to offset your carbon output. Your donation helps reforestation projects in the U.S. and abroad.