Greenlodge.org launch

A new eco traveler website was launched this week:
Greenlodge.org

Green Lodge has compiled a search able database of over 500 hotels in the US that are considered "green". The search page is easy to use and features google maps.

The best part of the site is that they will completely offset the carbon emissions from your trip. If you book a hotel, flight and/or rental car through their site they will purchase an equivalent amount of carbon credits to make your trip carbon neutral.

Here's a snapshot of the site.

Orlando Marriott Earns Green Designation

The 486-room Orlando Airport Marriott has just been named a designated property with Florida’s Green Lodging Program, recognizing it as an environmental leader. The Florida Green Lodging Program was established in 2004 by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) with the intent of recognizing and rewarding environmentally conscientious lodging facilities in the state. Each hotel is required to meet a minimum set of environmental practices.

The set of practices each facility implements may vary from one hotel to another. In terms of the Orlando Airport Marriott, the hotel has a linen reuse program, low-flow faucets and showerheads and water-efficient laundry equipment. To conserve energy, the hotel has a computerized energy management system with programmable thermostats and sensor lighting. The hotel also has a property-wide recycling program and purchases recycled paper products.

Other states have similar Green Lodging Programs including Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, California and Virginia.

Virgin Atlantic Flies a 747 from London to Amsterdam partly on Biofuel

On February 24th, Virgin Atlantic flew one of it's Boeing 747 airliners from London to Amsterdam with one engine using a 20% blend of biofuel. Richard Bronson has pledged to invest upwards of $3 billion in renewable energy technologies (story from bbc).

Video copyright Digital News Agency

Many environmental groups are regarding the biofuel jet demonstration as simply a publicity stunt, however it does show a commitment by the airline to push the industry forward in trying to use less fossil fuels. The reality is that air travel is going to continue to increase and finding the most efficient and least fossil-fuel dependent technologies will allow the airlines to better compete in an era where carbon emissions are likely to be regulated.