Earth Day, The Environment, and You By Amy Ziff, Editor at Large April 2007 Everything feels different this earth day because finally the US Government is recognizing what some scientists and a few politicians have long argued: that everything we humans do indeed has an impact on the environment. Or as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put it "that recent regional changes in temperature have had discernable impacts on many physical and biological systems…Observational evidence from all continents and most oceans shows that many natural systems are being affected by regional climate changes, particularly temperature increases." Earth day somehow feels more urgent. More like a priority. Here at Travelocity we've understood this importance. I'm proud to have been instrumental in launching Travelocity's program called Travel for Good . Among other things it was constructed to enable people to travel in a way that was ethical and responsible. Therefore we offer the opportunity for travelers to offset their travel through our Go Zero program. We hoped that by being the first in the industry to offer this program we’d start a trend. And we have. Interest in the environment, caring for it and ensuring that it will be around for generations is finally taking center stage. This is critical to the travel industry because so many of the places in jeopardy are beloved tourist destinations. Beaches and charming seaside communities are threatened by rising oceans, glacier melting will thwart adventure travelers around the globe, wondrous flowers could become extinct along with thousands of other plant and animal species, coral reefs could disappear from our oceans -- all a result of climate change we're bringing upon ourselves. When put like that I think any travel-loving person will realize that now is the time to act so that we prevent further destruction from happening. Forget preserving these places for our grandchildren -- don't you want to get out and experience the places you have yet to see? I know I do. Yet I am a realist as well as a traveler. And both of these attributes are inherent to who I am. I could not give one up any more than the other. But I've discovered that I can travel in a way that is forward thinking, that is preservation minded, that is ecologically responsible – therefore combining these two very strong parts of my personality. And so can you. The following list contains just a few of the companies in the travel sector aside from Travelocity that I've seen getting into the green. Enterprise rental cars adds fuel efficient hybrid cars to California fleet; Vail Resorts plans the largest green resort village in North America; Fairmont Hotels has a green partnership that works towards increased sustainability at all of their hotels; Bear Mountain, Snow Summit, Breckenridge and Aspen all are working to contain emissions at their mountains. We should all support them and think about other ways we can cut our own carbon and reduce our footprint. These tips will help you tread more lightly when you're on the road: Don't leave the lights on in your hotel room, or the TV or the AC for that matter. Don't leave your cell phone, computer, PDA, and the like plugged in. Remove all the plugs from outlets when you're not using them and you'll save energy. When you're in a new place try and buy local items and eat local foods. Walk or take public transport wherever possible. Don't buy any endangered species items Oh, and if you leave a light on at home while you are away. Be sure to make it an energy saving bulb and put it on a timer. All of these small reductions can yield big differences in our footprint every year. So this earth day start implementing your own changes. If you need a little more inspiration, watch my friends the eco-bunnies . We can all take part in changing the world – one trip at a time. Happy Earth Day. For more travel tips and advice, check out Amy Ziff's blog, The Window Seat, at http://windowseat.travelocity.com. To suggest a topic for a future column or to tell about a travel experience of your own, please email Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com.

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