Traveling responsibly

At the rate my family drives our 2004 Volkswagen Passat, we generate 8,800 pounds of greenhouse gases (GHG) a year. On the other hand, roughly 11,000 pounds of GHGs are emitted per person during a round-trip flight between the United States and Europe.

According to a new Web site, drivinggreen.com, we could off-set that negative impact of our driving by contributing $32 to a fund used to finance projects designed to reduce gas emissions in agricultural pursuits, in this case capturing methane from Midwest manure pits. In addition to cutting GHGs in the atmosphere, the captured methane provides fuel for the farm. On this same scale, a flight from Pittsburgh to London (if there were one) could be offset with a $40 contribution per traveler.

In the years since the Kyoto Accord authorized carbon offset programs for dozens of similar organizations have sprung up, offering ways individuals can support environmentally oriented projects designed to cut GHGs, energy consumption, global deforestation and a host of other ecologically positive projects.

While offset programs on an industrial scale clearly influence the overall production of pollution, the impact these projects designed for individual contribution requires a greater leap of faith.

Some of these organizations are nonprofit enterprises motivated primarily by environmental altruism; others are designed to generate revenue, albeit while doing something positive. drivinggreen.com, for example, is owned by AgCert International, an Irish company that specializes in reduction systems for agricultural derived GHGs.

This is not to imply there's anything underhanded about these efforts, but inevitably questions arise about how much good they accomplish beyond assuaging consumer guilt, and, in this age of "buyer beware," whether a given organization is both legitimate and does what it promises.

But carbon offset programs are not the only way individuals can help reduce pollution.

Eco-conscious travelers can also affect the situation directly in the choices they make in destination and accommodations.

Savvy resorts and hotels everywhere have already implemented green initiatives in both their initial design and daily operations. Over time these local initiatives can add up to significant GHG savings and reductions in pollution, not to mention helping to preserve local environments and cultures.

Here are questions responsible travelers can ask about places they're thinking about visiting, as suggested by the National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations (www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable).

When evaluating a destination, find out about:

Aesthetics: Are traditional architectural styles used? Are there parks and green space? Do wires, roads or buildings block important views?

Environment: Are transportation alternatives available to reduce the need for cars? Are the local flora and fauna respected and protected?

Tourist education: Are there visitor centers, and do they offer information independent of advertising? Is there interpretive signage offering insights and background on a site or area?

Tourism management: Is there information promoting authentic local culture or tip sheets for foreigners on local customs? Are crowds limited at sensitive sites?

Community interaction: Are taxes and entrance fees used for local tourism assets and services? Are there places where local craftpeople can sell items? Do locals have affordable access to tourism attractions?

When assessing a resort, hotel, store or attraction, ask about:

Its design, construction and landscaping: Have buildings been built to avoid ecologically sensitive areas? Were sustainable materials used? Were local plants incorporated in the grounds?

Conservation of energy and water: What alternative energy sources are used or energy-saving techniques employed? Are fresh water resources conserved and recycled?

Waste minimization: Is waste material minimized and disposed of responsibly? Are products re-used or recycled? Is organic waste composed?

Staff training: Are local people employed whenever possible? Are they fairly compensated? Are staff members schooled in local environmental and cultural conservation?

Tourist education: How are visitors informed of local culture, history and nature?

Simply raising these issues and making buying decisions on the responses you get can have a positive impact. Demonstrating a committed concern helps to elevate the general consciousness regarding the role environmental activism plays in preserving places we want to visit, not to mention the planet on which we and our children will live.

In the final analysis, that might be the biggest impact of all