Reduce Your Business Travel Carbon Footprint Without Paying Carbon Extortion Charges

Carbon Offset Cartoon
I recently ran across Travel Post Insiders tips on five ways travelers can reduce their carbon footprint without spending a dime, which seems REALLY appropriate for today, Earth Day.

Choose “green” accommodations. While carbon offset programs are just gaining traction, many states and countries already have well-established certification processes for environmentally-responsible hotels and resorts. Check with organizations like the International Ecotourism Society, California’s Green Lodging Directory or Florida’s Green Lodging Directory by state to start your search.
Reuse hotel sheets and towels. You know those signs in hotel bathrooms urging you to conserve water and energy by reusing towels and linens? This is a cost-free way for travelers to make a positive, albeit small, environmental impact by conserving water and energy.
Ride hybrid. EV Rental Cars offers fleets of hybrid vehicles in popular destinations cities like San Francisco , Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Diego. Instead of hopping in gas-guzzling taxis in San Francisco and Boston, travelers can reserve hybrid cabs through PlanetTran.
Brave public transportation. In addition to reducing your carbon footprint, public transportation has many other merits. In cities like London or New York and throughout much of Europe, public transportation is cheaper and less stressful than driving. Riding buses, trains and undergrounds will also give you a much more authentic perspective on your destination city and its inhabitants than driving solo or sticking solely to cabs.
Eat and shop local. When you’re exploring a new city, look for restaurants and stores that promote locally-sourced produce, ingredients and products. Food, goods and souvenir items that come from nearby farms, artisans and other producers travel shorter distances to reach you, the consumer, and, consequently, results in fewer carbon emissions associated with shipping and packaging products for long haul travel.

Obviously I’m not a fan of carbon offset programs. For more information, see Can You Bribe the Environment to Reduce the Size of Your Carbon Footprint?