They’re a potent symbol of excess: bloated floating mansions that stir up the calm waters of the ocean, pump out CO2 and suck up fuel like there’s no tomorrow. But those poor beleaguered billionaires who seek refuge on the high seas aren’t about to give up their luxury yachts.

Still, in an increasingly eco-conscious world, many yacht owners are realizing that they’d better shape up or ship out – at least, on the surface. Enter Ecoyachts, a web-based consulting and service company for yachters who want to go green…ish.

Ecoyachts posits itself as a one-stop shop for eco-friendly yachting supplies, services and information.

“Whether you are building, own, operate or manage a luxury sailing or power yacht, Ecoyachts will help you discover innovative products and services to compliment your yachting experience and at the same time contribute to improving our environment,” reads the site’s mission statement.

But is it good enough for luxury yacht owners to load up on recycling bins, homeopathic first aid kits, filtered tap water and organic upholstery? What about sustainable wood decks, waste water recycling systems and non-toxic finishes? Do all of these things add up to a real step forward, or are they just lipstick on a pig? After all, the oceans are in bad enough shape without the harm that gigantic pleasure crafts can do.

Sure, going green doesn’t have to mean giving up all the pleasures of life, and Ecoyachts’ aim to help the industry reduce its environmental impact is a noble one. But if yachters really wanted to go green, they’d at least downsize – or switch to sailboats, which do everything that fancy hybrid/solar/biodiesel yachts can do, but with the original renewable resource: wind.

Image: Ecoyachts

How ’bout a swap meet? No, not the kind where you buy second-hand junk from a vendor and homemade tamales from a truck but the kind where you connect with someone who lives somewhere you want to go (like a villa in Cabo San Lucas) and you exchange your digs. Now, that’s a romantic way to meet, if you ask me.

It all starts with listing your place and finding a good trade, either via Craig’s List regional ads or through one of the many online home exchange services. According to Move Trends, the recession is generating a boost in swaps with listings jumping from 20,000 last year to 27,000 in May of 2009.

It’s a great strategy for those with homes or apartments in desirable locations. I remember a Bay Area lawyer once telling me he was able to swap his turn-of-the-century family home in Alameda for a castle in Great Britain. Another friend is headed to Israel this summer, trading her family’s L.A. digs for a nice pad in Jerusalem. She wants some holy land. They want Beverly Hills. You don’t have to own a luxury estate for your home to be attractive to other travel bugs. Simply having a pool, garden or being close to a city hub could close the deal.

Also, don’t think it’s just the last resort for folks who can’t afford a luxury hotel or other inn. A recent article on swapping in New York Magazine recounts the story of  David Drake, a wealthy NY venture capitalist, who swapped his sprawling, 4,000-square-foot Soho loft with a baby grand piano and plasma TV for a 2,000-acre cattle ranch near Houston, Texas. “It was amazing!” he shared. ” We got to shoot, we got to ride. Rather than pay $5,000 per night at the Four Seasons to get a really nice suite, why not?”

It’s a sign more moneyed homeowners are securing this form of budget travel for a variety of reasons, including being able to get an authentic cultural experience in an exotic region with all of the comforts of someone’s home. New York Magazine interviewed Margaret Carr, owner of Exclusive Exchanges, who says a man with a Tuscan villa is receiving many inquiries for his property from affluent swappers willing to trade their fancy co-ops and Manhattan penthouses.

I had concerns, myself, about swapping because of strangers using my bedding and furniture and living with my artwork and other personal belongings. This is why so often those with luxury properties swap their vacation homes rather than primary residences. The vacation homes are often staged with decor designed to be used by renters.

Which areas are most sought after for swaps? According to Carr, New York is the top destination, followed by Paris. Maybe it’s not just that these cities are exciting and romantic but also because lodging there can run a small fortune.

Images: Noah Kalina

Imagine being cast away on your very own desert island … a coral cay lush with greenery and bird life and fringed with white sand. Day after day you would swim in the clear blue ocean and spot giant green turtles, manta rays and rainbow-hued fish and coral.

This was the reality of my recent holiday on Wilson Island on the southern tip of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. It genuinely was a desert island – all the water had to be brought in by boat – but this was not an episode of Survivor.

I guess this is what you call “glamping” – glamorous camping. Our so-called tents were really canvas cabins with wooden floors, a double bed with heavy linen, a wardrobe and a deck with a hammock and ocean views. We also had hot showers, a chef to cook gourmet meals three times a day, and champagne and nibblies on the beach at sunset each evening.

Before the Green-Eyed Monster makes you start throwing things at me, I hasten to add that I am unaccustomed to such luxury on my vacations. This was my honeymoon and we were happy to splurge. While it might sound terribly exotic, it was actually relatively local considering I’m Australian and my wedding was in Sydney.

I was drawn to Wilson Island because of its natural beauty – particularly the fact it was a turtle breeding island and known for its fabulous snorkeling right off the beach. It’s part of the Capricornia Cays National Park and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The last thing I wanted was for my presence to harm the ecology of this natural wonderland.

Tourism can be a mixed blessing. In many places around the world, including Australia, natural beauty has been destroyed or diminished by over-development. Yet tourism makes conservation of this beautiful part of the world not just morally desirable but also economically viable – no mean feat given the amount of oil estimated to be buried beneath the reef. About 1.6 million people visit the reef every year, delivering revenue of more than $AUS1 billion.

The Great Barrier Reef has thousands of islands; some of them are quite developed, while others are closed to humans and you risk a fine of thousands of dollars even stepping on to the island.

I was impressed by the balance at Wilson Island. There are only 12 guests allowed on the island at one time, plus two hosts who do all the cooking and cleaning. There are no permanent buildings on the island and the tents are scattered to give maximum privacy. The water is brought in and the grey water is shipped back out again (while the sewage is held in sceptic tanks). There is no power generator on the island – the hot water and limited electricity in the kitchen and communal long tent all run off solar power. (Luckily there’s plenty of sunshine in this part of the world). All the garbage is shipped off the island and the bottles and paper are sorted for recycling.

As it is a national park and a marine park, guests are reminded not to interfere with nature. The rule is to look but not touch – to take only photographs and leave only footprints. That can be hard. If you come at the right time of year, as we did, you might see baby turtles hatching and racing for their lives down the beach. With seagulls circling overhead and reef sharks lurking just off the beach, ready to snack on tasty baby turtle, it can be tempting to give Mother Nature a hand. It is important not to succumb to the urge so that the eco-system of the reef can keep its natural balance.

If you find yourself in this part of the world and you are looking for a romantic break, then I recommend you check out Wilson Island. When we booked, they were offering five nights for the price of four. While the price of $AUS700 per night seemed steep at the time, it is all-inclusive. And when they say everything is included, they mean everything. It includes a free boat transfer from nearby Heron Island (also a nice island but more of a family resort and much, much bigger), all your food including picnic hampers if you prefer not to eat communally, an open bar stocked with copious amounts of wine, beer and spirits, and use of a wetsuit, mask and snorkel, flippers. Even the sunscreen is free. We actually ended up spending more money in total in six days on Heron Island than five days on Wilson Island, though admittedly that included two dive trips at Heron.

The Great Barrier Reef is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World but like so many of Earth’s treasures it’s under threat from climate change.

UPDATE 5/28/2009 Wilson Island is certified under Australia’s Eco Certification Program. The resort is closed from 26 January to 28 February for the bird nesting season.

The writer and her husband took the holiday in a personal capacity and paid for it in full.

Images courtesy Caitlin Fitzsimmons

Why deliberate silver and China settings for that beloved bride and groom when you can give them three trees to offset carbon emissions…or eight nights in a luxury suite in southern Thailand?

The travel company Send us Off does all the legwork, setting up registries for the couple’s family and friends. It is run by a pair of lovebirds – Native Aussie Daniel Russo and world traveler Joanna Cade – who met and were engaged in the far off land of Dallas, Texas.

They figured they were rich in their supply of material goods for the house, and chose instead to focus on travel as a way to celebrate their own marriage. Later, their business was born over a bottle of Australian wine. Talk about compatibility! They both like to drink wine, travel and brainstorm business ideas.

Among the thoughtful eco honeymoon packages devised is a trip to Koh Phi Phi and other islands ravaged by the Tsunami of 2004. The island off the coast of southern Thailand is described as the most exquisite place the travel guides have ever visited. The couple traveled there and helped a local group with a beach clean-up, paining and construction, while still enjoying “the ultimate in luxury and pampering.”

The travel registry takes the financial burden off the couple for paying for the vacation while letting them think of the gift giver while savoring those memories of rock climbing or sipping that drink on the beach.

Here is a sample of the registry:

Other trips are available to Europe, Africa and the Lapa Rios private nature reserve in Costa Rica – built on a large tract of rainforest to support eco tourism.

To register, simply go to the site and fill in the blanks to help the company package the ideal romantic eco trip you envision. Just remember to squeeze in time for things money can’t buy: hugs and kisses, little love notes and plenty of rest in bed.

Recently we told readers about Better World Car Club, a greener alternative to the highway lobbying AAA. Seems like AAA is feeling the sting of recent criticism, including its position against closing the bridges into DC on inauguration day.

A friend sent a recent AAA newsletter along all about going green. Who knew they cared? Let’s take a look behind the green curtain and see if there’s any substance there.

In the first section about green travel, AAA says:

“To help support Earth Day, AAA offers affordable adventures to eco-friendly destinations that embrace nature and minimize impact to the natural surroundings. At the forefront of ‘green’ thinking, Costa Rica provides an unparalleled outdoor experience with its rich biodiversity and breathtaking vistas. Using the beautiful all-inclusive Paradisus Playa Conchal resort as home base, travelers can explore the area’s scenic beauty – Arenal Volcano, Tabacon Springs, Palo Verde and Vida Aventura National Parks. Be sure to visit exotic local wildlife at the Las Pumas Rescue Shelter. Let us help make your next trip memorable and responsible.”

Check out this photo of the Paradisus Playa Conchal resort. I don’t know about you, but I think this place has a mighty big footprint. Also, nowhere on the site does it say they are making any environmental efforts at all. I fail to see what is green about getting in an airplane, staying in a place like this, and visiting nature preserves.

Next up – The “Green Cruise”:

AAA says, “Green thinking travelers have more options. Notably, cruise lines are becoming more eco-friendly. Holland America, in particular, is leading the way. The well-known cruise line’s fleet comprises ships that are not only elegant 5-star accommodations, but also are environmentally sound. In fact, in 2008 Holland America was awarded ‘Most Eco-Friendly Cruise Line’ by Porthole Magazine and ‘Best Cruise or Ferry Operator’ by Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards. Definitely, a voyage worth taking.”

I did a little research on Holland America. I found out that it won the award for unveiling a $1.5 million emissions system designed to reduce air pollution by using seawater to “scrub” smokestack emissions. In addition, Holland America is employing a new hybrid power system combining traditional diesel-electric and newer gas-turbine engines in its new Vista Class fleet. Making a few efforts toward greening is important, but I’d hardly call cruise ships “environmentally sound.” This site documents environmental violations by cruise ships, and, from the data here, it doesn’t look like Holland America stacks up any better against any of the others when it comes to air quality and waste water violations.

Both of these vacation options illustrate a central problem with greenwashing: some things just aren’t green no matter how hard their marketers may try to make it so. The kind of luxury and indulgence that requires the use millions of gallons of water, millions of gallons of jet or ship fuel, produces thousands of pounds of food and human waste, includes luxury dining and the high carbon excess that entails, and results in intensified human impact on pristine natural areas isn’t green. I don’t want to be a killjoy or deprive people of their vacations, but just don’t call them green.

The newsletter goes onto give tips on saving fuel, money and the environment (although that last one seems like an afterthought). Whatever the motive, I can get behind them, and just to prove I’m not just out to pick on AAA, I’ll  list them here:

- Consolidate errand trips to cut down on driving time and miles

- Slow down. The faster your vehicle travels, the more fuel it burns.

- Avoid quick starts and stops. This wastes fuel, adds vehicle wear, and increases odds of a crash.

- Lighten your load. Heavier vehicles use more fuel, so remove extra cargo you don’t need.

- Watch for low fuel prices, but don’t go too far out of your way to save a few cents.

This is all to illustrate that it’s good to not only look behind the green curtain, but also to recognize that some things cannot be made green. Greener? Yes. But green, no way.

Image: WTL

The global economy is tanking. The U.S. and the UK are in full-blown recession. Other countries are heading that way. We’re all going to have to tighten our belts, hold on hard and ride it out.

Grim economic news is never welcome and I sincerely hope the pain for you and your family is minimal. For the environment, the R-word is slightly more mixed news. On the one hand, people are sometimes less willing to pay extra for green supplies – sales of organic food are falling and farmers in the UK are lobbying for a relaxation in the rules for organic certification. On the other hand, decreased economic output is usually coupled with lower consumption and frugality measures such as growing your own food or conserving electricity also benefit the environment.

In the travel world, the good news is that people – when they can afford to take a holiday – are retaining their environmental principles. Despite fears that environmental commitments made in good times were merely pie crust promises, it seems greener travel is still a growing trend. People are even willing to support higher airfares for environmental reasons (though admittedly that last one is based on a survey taken in the good times).

Perhaps that’s why some of the big online travel sites are now trying to tap into the green travel market – though, as others have commented, from the looks of things they’re not trying very hard. Expedia has recently launched a travelers’ guide to going green – this was a rotating link from the bottom corner of the home page of the U.S. site (blink and you’ll miss it), more prominently linked to from the home page of the Canadian site, and as far as I could tell, not at all from the UK or Australian sites. There are only 288 properties worldwide on Expedia’s list of green hotels. Travelocity, another giant in the online travel world, also has recently introduced a green page, but it’s similarly tucked away with no apparent link from the home page. Hotwire has also recently introduced a modest green initiative – offering carbon offsetting at the point of purchase.

What are some of the other online companies doing? LastMinute has a link to a page on carbon offsetting under “useful links” on the home page of the site. Opodo has a ‘green stance’ link at the bottom of the site. Both pages are easily found – one hopes Expedia and Travelocity will follow suit.

It’s a step in the right direction but I’m inclined to agree with my fellow bloggers – this feels like a token effort and there should be a lot more promotion from the home pages of these sites. As Terracurve puts it: “It seems Expedia is, so far, less interested in doing the legwork and would rather pass the responsibility off solely to the traveler. If a traveler finds a green hotel or a hybrid car? Great. If not? Great.”

Meanwhile, if you are interested in sustainable travel, here are a few booking sites that do a better job of helping you find the perfect holiday to suit your conscience as well as your taste and budget:

Responsible Travel – UK-based site (but popular with U.S. users, too) with hundreds of handpicked holidays and an explanation of why each holiday makes a difference to the environment or local communities. It’s especially strong on activity or cultural holidays.

Rezhub – This site has a Green Travel Hub lets you book green hotels, low-emission or hybrid hire cars and green flights.

Whole Travel – Not a booking engine but a wonderful collection of links to sustainable holidays around the world (you book directly with the hotel and they make money from advertising).

Image: Christine Salek

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) has come up with a whole new way of connecting travelers with inspiring ecotourism initiatives. They have set up the very first online green travel auction site. Called ecoDestinations, this auction site will feature a new eco destination at the beginning of each month.

Once the destination is chosen, TIES will list its best and most eco-friendly vacations, chosen for their commitment to the local community and the protection of the environment. Then the bidding can begin, starting at an unbelievable 60% off it’s retail value.

It’s a genuine win-win. Green travelers get the opportunity to discover and bid on some great eco-friendly vacations, and eco lodges and sustainable tourism operators get promotion for their organizations for one continuous month. Best of all, one community organization from the month’s featured destination will be picked to receive 5% of the ecoDestination’s revenue.

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to ecoDestinations and start bidding.

This month’s destination – Costa Rica.

It’s a fitting choice to launch this new green initiative.

Image: joisey showaa

Got the winter blues?  Feeling a little cold?  Need some sunshine in your life?

Perhaps you need to take a virtual trip to New Zealand. Cause it’s summertime in New Zealand and the living is easy, especially when you have a copy of the latest edition of Organic Explorer New Zealand. Printed on sustainably sourced paper using vegetable inks, it’s the ultimate guidebook for anyone who wants to travel green in New Zealand. Full of information about eco-friendly places to eat, stay and explore, Organic Explorer New Zealand has opened up a whole new world of places for me to visit next time I’m traveling around. It’s even highlighted a few places I never knew about in my own backyard.

Written by Leonie Johnson (who used to be with NZ Organic magazine) and Tony Ward, this beautifully illustrated guidebook takes you on a journey from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island, detailing over 500 places to eat, sleep and play the organic way. New Zealand’s clean, green image has always been a drawing card for travelers. But now, thanks to Leonie and Tony, discovering what’s truly green about New Zealand has just become a whole lot easier.

Order a copy of the latest edition now and if you’re intrigued. I’d offer you mine, but it’s already a looking a little frayed from overuse.

(Or, just click onto their website instead. It’s a comprehensive searchable database providing all the information in the book and more. But be careful, you might just find yourself itching to hop on the next plane to New Zealand.)

A year in Lifestyle – from dire rumblings over biofuel to the unprecedented eco-promises of President Elect Obama, from ravaged coral to eco sunscreen, personal sustainability to green careers. It’s been a whirlwind 12 months…and here’s why.

January: we first look at the menaces of urban tumbleweed, plastic hotel toiletries, greenwashing, and pondered the wisdom of using silicone cookware and fuel in place of food.

February: Kim checks out Japanese holistic toothpaste; salmon stocks crash in north California; we suggest shedding some light; orangutans swipe chopsticks for a good cause; Freecycle helps us get household essentials entirely for free; a mousetrap even mice might like; catalytic converters lose their green credentials; Luanne finds a coral cemetery; travel journals are an Art form – look!; and the bamboo that helps you read in the bath.

March: the first Seattle Green Festival; find out what “Touski” means; See Spot Recycle; not all City Slickers are lost in the country; it’s been a good, green year for laptops; how to lunch on brown bags (or green up your lunch bag); greenwashers on the run; my number 1 fan; AllTop launches; the joy of spring asparagus; how easy it is to give; nobody’s mowing the lawn; the Wabi Sabi way; cleaning without nasty chemicals; bringing back Slow Shaving; magical (not magic) mushrooms; a chat with Aaron “King Corn” Woolf; where else to keep strawberries?; one angry bird; vitamins for the needy; and how does your house score?

April: picnicking with (not against) the environment; You Are Beautiful; what is carbon offsetting anyway?; sustainable scrubbers; sardines are the new salmon; hogging rainwater; giving the almost-green a nudge; the complicated ethics of fur; how to spot if a restaurant is eco; upcycling the softest of brushes; what’s for Earth-dinner?; stain removal without skin removal; how to celebrate Earth Day, quick!; exactly how bamboo is sustainable and green; Harry Potter turns over a new leaf; the sense in embracing the ridiculous; when “reducing” apparently doesn’t mean “less”; the sudsless car wash; the right way to arrange a steamy tumble; and flagging down the right kind of (luxury) cab.

May: 60,000 pounds of shrimp every day – it has to be Las Vegas; plug those sizzling leaks; sneaky, sneaky plastic; chewy rope for furry friends; lunches you won’t want to wait for; sexy soil; greenscouring; the unacceptable nature of animal food-farming in America; the busy, buzzing farming assistants under mysterious threat; how (and how not) to charm a green goddess; plastic – out with the new, in with the old; the Why of rising prices; LEED-certified ELEMENT hotels launch; and lastly, lots of sex.

June: George W. Bush is “honored” by green activists; we’re unimpressed by the Eco Kettle; how to throw a party right; feeling good about eating meat; first steps (first revolutions?) with bikes; political greenscouring abounding; how we’re becoming Nature’s noisy neighbors; how much of our groceries get thrown out?; even matches can be re-thunk; the tranquil – and threatened – Joshua Tree National Park; gardening with the wind; the science of Shh!; Earthship ahoy; eco-friendly sunscreen; why individual choices matter; Do-It-Ourselves cities; the grass is always greener if it’s not faux; and Method get a makeover.

July: the enduring problem with palm oil; the first worldwide climate change pressure group; pack smarter, not lighter; a sustainable spread; 25 ways to fill your piggy bank; the unfairly-maligned clothespeg; as much soda as you can make; festival of destruction?; good habits start young; your SUV is redeemable; what’s cookin’ in the White House?; green buildings you can munch on; pingg!; 30 unusual compostable items; greenwasher is Bond villain; 10 ways to avoid eco-snobbery; marine conservation that works; hitting the spot with eco sex toys; new urbanism; a yoga mat that in every sense isn’t square; and 10 eco gifts that aren’t crunchy, preachy or political.

August: eco-friendly dining venues; curly light bulbs, explained; You vs. Junk Drawer; scoop the poop; Germans champion the passive approach; tips on first date butterflies; in the future, electricity will be weird; on your bike!; making sure your shade makes the grade; a very Italian recession; 15 life-changing books; green gadgets you won’t be able to keep your hands off; school supplies for budding greenies; worlds of meaning; 9 inventions they said would never work; eating out of palm leaves; Barnstable’s beach smoking ban; environmental art you’ll never forget; and lights out for England’s churches.

September: the rinse & return of milk bottles; shoes that never get wet?, e-book readers finally arrive; capping escaping caps; what the stars (the twinkling kind) can tell us; building a 21st-Century home; recycled specs; the gift of an eco action pack; SGF seeking SGM; crayons!; Mom, I think I solved the energy crisis; autumn yard decor; chain stores shrinking?; the navy shower; models wearing parachutes, and other madnesses; Greenbottling it; Solay cleaners; Greenpeace’s Guide to Greener Electronics; and 15 glimpses into houses of the future.

October: 10 lean, green fashion and decor deals; VroomVroomVroom; October Fair Trade roundup; the Virtual March; a dangerous love of olive oil; the innate profitability of organic farming; Starbucks in hot water; guilt-free roadtrips; of oil and ANWR; gits for an eco hostess; TripAdvisor’s More Than Footprints; greening your junk, 16 creative ways; Nokia’s wooden phone – well, maybe; 10 green collar jobs for 2009 and beyond; interview with Starre Vartan; a better Halloween (here too); 7 endangered species we’ll be seeing more of; USBCELL; cloth diapers fill with controversy; 10 tips for personal sustainability; 10 ways to unlock your inner green goddess; sustainable sushi; save the Angel Oak; shoes that fall apart for a good reason; and biomimicry – how we’re learning from the best.

November: prison inmates gathering moss; traveller’s gadgets; rain harvests; eco promises from the new guy in the White House; more worries over cellphones; the power of Maatiam; Nature’s healthy architecture; Facebook friends frenzy; Oceana Adopt-A-Creature; 12 DIY projects; the magic of England’s Cornwall (home of Eden); 10-4 10-4, top restaurant on the road; One Million Acts of Green; Smart Biking, smartphones and smart networking; Amazon rationalize their packaging (and about time); creative bookworming; the well-named Good Hotel; soldiers and civilians plant 6 million trees – in one day; 7 ways of giving meaningfully; Eco-Libris; eBay’s environmental record gets spotty; party punch; Madeleine Pickens and wild mustangs; mulching Nature’s cast-offs; and the real cost of 10 everyday items.

December: Africa’s Last Eden; are e-book readers truly green?; Vroom, Woosh, Dig, Sizzle!; Canadians losing their bottle; interview with Robyn Griggs Lawrence; the generation that knows best; 9 reasons not to buy pets from a pet store; elephants are better off in the wild, suggests study; getting there greener; environmentalism 2.0; a viral Brighter Planet; Go-Ahead Group set standards for travel; 7 outrageous PETA stunts; pocket markets take a stand; a new perspective on camel humps; the marvellous Bicycle Commuter Act; your plastic “friend” goes green?; the Surfrider Foundation; 10 reasons to love being on a train; electronic recipe books (at 20 times the price); eco board games; Dubai cons the environment; humane veal?; Australia’s Sunshine Coast; one teenager makes a difference in Darfur; questions to ask your printer; and Vegan Hoppin’ John!

Image: Sir Mervs

Which travel organizations are making real progress on climate change? One company that deserves a pat on the back is the U.K.-based rail and bus operator, the Go-Ahead Group.

Go-Ahead has just become the first travel company to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard. The company operates the Gatwick Express train service from Gatwick Airport to central London, train services in southern England and the Midlands and numerous public bus routes throughout the U.K. What this means is that Go-Ahead has been able to measure its carbon emissions and prove that it has reduced them over the past few years. The company faces reassessment every two years and must continue to reduce emissions in order to retain the accreditation.

There’s a lot of noise in the business world about carbon neutrality but climate change scientists tell us that, while carbon offsetting is all well and good, the real focus needs to be on reducing carbon emissions. The Carbon Trust Standard is different from other programs such as ISO 14001 because it’s about reductions, not offsetting. It’s currently a U.K. program supported by the government. The purpose is to help large organizations comply with European Union regulations going into effect in 2010 as well as allow them to market their environmental credentials without accusations of greenwash.

But since the Carbon Trust Standard doesn’t really have an equivalent elsewhere and the background work on methodology is already done, the management is considering taking it international. While the Go-Ahead Group might be the first to reach the Carbon Trust Standard, it’s not the only travel company doing the right thing. Eurostar, which operates the service from London to Paris or Brussels is another train operator with an excellent environmental record. Of course, travelling by train or bus is already better for the environment than flying or driving, with or without a certification.

Image: jan the manson