Nearly one billion tourists travel around the globe every year – many by plane or car. Can you imagine the carbon emissions?

In an article on the website The Independent Traveler, Ed Hewitt compares car travel to airplane travel. According to the article, “… if the average American drives 10,000 – 15,000 miles each year, it takes only a trip to Europe for a West Coaster, a trip to Hawaii for an East Coaster or a couple of cross-country flights to do as much damage (or more) as you do during an entire year of commuting and cruising in your car.”

Wow. So, what do you do if you want to get away, but want to do it in a green way?

Hewitt writes about buying carbon offsetting, where you donate money to green organizations or companies to plant trees (or something along those lines) to offset the damage  your flight will do to the environment. This article is not going to get into carbon offsetting, instead we’re going to discuss greener vacation ideas.

• Stay local. This is the easiest (and possibly the least appealing) vacation idea for many. See if there are any fun events going on in your town, or in a town close by. Try something you did as a child, but haven’t done since. Get out and hike. If there’s something touristy, why not try it out and see why people travel to your area. 
• Travel to a nearby hotspot. If you don’t live in a big city, there’s usually one or two within a couple of hours’ drive.  Or, if you live in a big city, there’s usually a small, quieter town that’s not too far off the beaten path. If you do drive somewhere, look for green activities — walking around the city, hiking trails, biking, etc.
• If you do live in a more metropolitan area and would really like to get away, look into something like the BoltBus. These buses have an that cuts nitrous oxide emissions in half.  Most of the cities that have BoltBus are in the northeast – NYC, D.C., Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, etc. The fares start at $1. The buses are also equipped with WiFi.
• Consider camping — the kind where you take a sleeping bag and build a tent. It’s a great way to experience the great outdoors, it’s cheap, and most of the activities are also pretty green — fishing, hiking, biking, exploring, etc. (If you know of a green mosquito repellent that works, please let me know!)
• If you’re going to drive somewhere and you own a gas guzzler, think about renting a hybrid. The money you save on gas will probably pay for the price of the rental.

These are just a few tips. Obviously, if you do go somewhere and stay in a hotel, put out the little sign that lets them know you don’t need new sheets and towels for everyday of your stay. And look for chains that are eco-friendly.

Any other green vacation suggestions? Please comment and let us know about them!

Earth Day is next week. Have any big plans? I know it’s not a party holiday like St. Patrick’s Day or Cinco de Mayo, but there are lots of fun (and cheap or free!) ways to celebrate.

–Talk with President Bill Clinton. He’s part of a special Earth Day edition of Digg Dialogg. He’ll be answering questions about “Take Initiative,” his campaign to address climate change. The conversation will go up on April 22nd. You need to submit your questions early.

–Help people in Haiti. You can also take a climate quiz at clintonfoundation.org. The foundation will donate $2 for every quiz completed to buy solar flashlights for people in Haiti. (I got six out of ten questions right.)

–Protect an acre of forest land by joining Ebay’s Green Team. They are featuring auctions this month that support green causes. You can also enter a contest to win $10,000 if you take the the Green Team Challenge.

–Help feed hungry families by donating to The Dinner Garden. This organization’s goal is to help end hunger in the U.S. with gardens. They send free seed packets to anyone who requests them.

–Try to win a hybrid by entering Target’s Drive Home Green Sweepstakes. There are over 5,000 green prizes and the contest is open through April 30th.

–Get on the bus! All next week, people who ride Greyhound’s BoltBus, will be helping out the New York Restoration Project. Greyhound will donate a portion of all of those fares to the environmental organization. The Bolt Bus sounds pretty neat. It’s got Wifi, and has emissions lowering technology.

What have I missed? Please let me know!