So next month Marc and I will be going out West in conjunction with the Meeting Professional International World Education Conference (MPI – WEC).  We are going to do a Western Adventure which I am very excited about!  One of the stops on our trip is San Diego.  I love San Diego but Marc has never been.  So I’m trying to find fun quick touristy things to do.  I logged on to Frommers and there is a new section that I find fascinating.  Under the Planning A Trip tab, there is a new link called Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism.  How cool is that?!?!?

So here is what that section says…

Each time you take a flight or drive a car CO2 is released into the atmosphere. You can help neutralize this danger to our planet through “carbon offsetting” — paying someone to reduce your CO2 emissions by the same amount you’ve added. Carbon offsets can be purchased in the U.S. from companies such as Carbonfund.org (www.carbonfund.org) and TerraPass (www.terrapass.org), and from Climate Care (www.climatecare.org) in the U.K.

Although one could argue that any vacation that includes an airplane flight can’t be truly “green,” you can go on holiday and still contribute positively to the environment. Choose forward-looking companies that embrace responsible development practices, helping preserve destinations for the future by working alongside local people. An increasing number of sustainable tourism initiatives can help you leave as small a “footprint” as possible on the places you visit.

Responsible Travel (www.responsibletravel.com), run by a spokesperson for responsible tourism in the travel industry, contains a great source of sustainable travel ideas.

You can find eco-friendly travel tips, statistics, and touring companies and associations — listed by destination under “Travel Choice” — at the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) website, www.ecotourism.org. Also check out Conservation International (www.conservation.org) — which, with National Geographic Traveler, annually presents 

I have always been a fan of Frommers and it is the only web site that I turn to for travel information but now I love them even more!  Please check out these sites and purchase some carbon offsetting when you go on vacation.  Marc and I are going to!