Carbon-neutral traveling

It's that time of year when folks start planning trips and vacations (isn't spring great?) As we all know, traveling can be very hard on the environment. According to a recent article from USA Weekend:

travel is to blame for more than a quarter of greenhouse gases, according to a report by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The good news is that new opportunities are available for travelers who want to be more eco-conscious. Carbon-offset programs, which are based on the concept of purchasing "green" energy credits from things like wind farms and solar-powered energy sources, are now available for a small fee. Travel sites like Expedia and Travelocity actually allow you to add the credits to your cart at check out!

For more information on how these carbon-offset programs work and to gauge the carbon-impact of your next trip and purchase green credits, check out NativeEnergy and Sustainable Travel International.

I found out on the NativeEnergy site that when my family and I go up to Pennsylvania in a few weeks, each of our three cars will use 712 pounds of carbon-dioxide--for a total of over one ton of carbon-dioxide released into the atmosphere! By using a carbon-offset program like the one at NativeEnergy, we can "neutralize" our travel by paying $72.00 in green credits. Seems like a small price to pay, considering the consequences.