Green Travel Made Easy

James Stevenson, Pinellas County Extension Specialist, Urban Sustainability

Have you had enough yet? Ready to get out of Dodge? If you are “Leaving on a Jet Plane….” this summer, it is possible to “offset” the carbon cost of your journey with the help of some of the largest travel companies.

Ofsetting refers to projects that compensate for emissions by providing for “sinks” that will absorb the equivalent amount of carbon. Many of these projects involve funding re-forestation projects, both domestically and abroad, with the majority in developing countries.

Check out Expedia’s “traveler’s guide to going green” Travelocity has partnered-up with TerraPass who offer bundles that fund clean energy production, methane mitigation strategies for farmers and landfill gas capture. These offsets are only a few dollars and can be added to the price of your ticket with one quick click.

Orbitz has engaged Carbonfund.org and offers links and information at their microsite, eco.orbitz.com. From there, you can purchase offsets for both domestic and international flights (a flat-fee for each.) According to their website, Carbonfund.org makes it easy and affordable for everyone to offset their carbon footprint with high-quality, 3^rd party verified renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects.”

Travelocity offers access to GoZero carbon emission offsets through their “travel for good” program. This program not only helps travelers offset carbon emissions, but also offers access to socially-responsible travel options and options that support our domestic economy. Don’t forget, being green is not JUST about the environment!

We’d love to hear about your green travel adventures this summer. Either use the “comment” option below or send us an email to sustainability@pinellascounty.org and we’ll post a selection in the coming months. Enjoy your green trip!