Green travel isn't just something to make yourself feel good, if we don't change our travel ways we may love our favorites spots to death.

Last year some 898 million people traveled the globe, and the international tourism industry earned $7 trillion (and those figures don’t include people who vacation in their own countries). To think there wasn't a significant environmental and cultural cost to those travel is naive.

So what's a responsible citizen of the earth to do? Give up traveling? 

We have another idea, vote with your dollar. Here's the Wired guide to traveling green and being responsible.

== Carbon Offsets ==

Sure they're controversial, but it's better than doing nothing at all.

The basic idea behind carbon offsets is that for every chunk of carbon you use (i.e. air travel, driving, etc) you donate a corresponding "offset" to a charity which can then invest the money in a project that reduces our carbon dependance -- generally things like wind farms, biomass energy, or hydroelectric dams.

In other words you offset your unavoidable carbon use by making an investment in a (hopefully) carbon free future.

Critics argue that carbon offsets merely give the guilty an easy source of absolution rather than the more productive route of behavior change. The critics are probably right in this case, but if you're going to fly no matter what, you might as well contribute to alternatives while you're at it.

To help you out there are a number of sites that can help you calculate your carbon usage and suggest an offset amount. [http://www.terrapass.com/ Terrapass] offers all sorts of carbon calculators and has partnered with travel stalwart Expedia to make it easy to buy and offset when you purchase tickets. Other online travel agencies such as Orbitz and Travelocity as well as airlines like British Airways, Virgin and Continental now offer carbon offsets when you purchase your flight.

== Green Hotels ==

Not all lodging is created equal. Some hotels are locally owned, recycle and make a real effort to minimize their environmental impact. Others are colossal chains that import labor from abroad and throw out the preverbal baby with every gallon of bath water.

So how to chose a responsible hotel? It might mean a little extra research on your part, but luckily there are a number of websites that can help take the pain out of finding responsible lodgings.

[http://www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com/ Environmentally Friendly Hotels], [http://www.ec3global.com/products-programs/green-globe/Default.aspx Green Globe] and [http://www.rezhub.com/GreenTravel/GreenHotels/tabid/119/Default.aspx RezHub] are just a few of the many sites that track hotel's eco-friendliness and can recommend green hotels in your destination.

But don't leave everything to web, if you can't find anything about a hotel you'd like to stay in, just call them up and ask some questions:

# Is the hotel locally owned and operated? If not, is it does it at least employ a local labor force?

# Is there an option to reuse towels and sheets instead of having them changed every day?

# Does the hotel have any recycling programs (paper, plastic, gray water irrigation, composting, etc)?

# Does the hotel have programs to reduce guest consumption? For example, energy-efficient lighting, water-saving shower heads etc.

Not only will you get answers to your questions you'll help send a message that these things matter to today's traveler. When enough hotels start to feel the pressure to go grean, they will. Send them a message with your wallet.

== When you're there ==

Okay so you paid your carbon offsets, found an environmentally friendly place to stay, now what?

Here's a few tips to reducing your impact on the places you love to visit:

# Reduce your water consumption. Clean water is one of the most endangered resources in the world. Keep your showers short and turn off the water when your brushing your teeth.

# Power is also in limited supply -- turn off the air conditioning, heat, television, lights and any other electric devices when you leave your room.

# Reuse your linens. Do you wash your sheets every single day when you're at home? The why the heck are you doing it when you travel? Call the front desk and tell them you're okay with using the same towel two, three, ten days in row. 

# Give your hotel feedback. Tell them you're happy about any eco programs they have and tell them you'd love to see them embrace more.

# Buy local. You just traveled half way around the world and you're headed to Starbucks? Try supporting the local economy, stop into the corner coffee shop, eat with the locals and shop in local markets rather than chain stores. You'll learn more about the culture you're visiting, have much better food and encourage local businesses.

# Be responsible when you're off sightseeing. There's a reson why the cliche "take nothing but photographs, and leave nothing but footprints," is a cliche -- because it's good advice.