Green Travel - More

So I just learned that one of my good buddies left yesterday from SLC heading east across Colorado. Yes, the same Colorado that is completely shut down due to an enormous snow storm. Send out the search parties.

After my earlier post, I figured I needed to try to find some resources for those not traveling in Michigan, and then realized that many people are changing travel plans right now due to a huge ski destination being shut down for a couple days.

So below you'll find a list of sites that list more hotels that are getting green under a variety of different programs. Supporting them is one small way to reduce your impacts.

US & Canada: Terrachoice

Florida: DEP

Cali: CIWMB

Worldwide: Greenhotels

Pennsylvania: DEP

And finally, the Green Lodging News - see what this hotelier's group is talking about

Fuel Cell Powers CA Christmas Tree

I just read that the California State Christmas Tree at the Capital is powered by a fuel cell. I think that's great - if nothing more than a demonstration of the technology and a means of promoting its further development.

Fuel cells have been used for decades to power space missions and other small or R&D uses. GM even produced a fuel cell van in the 60's that actually worked! That link to General Hydrogen (not part of GM) also gives a decent history of fuel cells.

There continues to be much debate on which is more environmentally friendly: real or artificial trees. Here's an article that discusses it a bit. That article claims that 85% of artificial trees are manufactured in China, which I don't doubt. Plus, artificial trees are mostly made from petrochemicals, which China has a shortage of (oil - they have plenty of coal). Then it must be shipped all the way here. Live trees (we like to cut our own down - so there is no transportation emissions) provide local jobs and absorb CO2 and other pollutants during the growing cycle. Then I mulch or compost mine each year. I could go on, but read that article and you'll hear many of the arguments.

Lastly, let me offer you a couple of sites for finding environmentally friendly Christmas ideas, from party ideas to gifts. Their subjects are pretty apparent in the URLs.

http://www.newdream.org/holiday/index.php

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/12/green_gift_guid_1.php

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/how_to_green_your_gifts.php

Happy Holidays