By Guest Author: Sonya of TravelingtheGreenWay.com

Planning ski holidays in the western U.S. or Canada?  If you’re an eco-traveler, you’ll find greener ski resorts on the comprehensive website by the Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition.

“Ski areas concentrate on recreational use, permitting tremendous numbers of people to enjoy and learn about delicate mountain environments in a safe manner,” says the coalition. 

“When undertaken in an environmentally sensitive manner, ski resorts can minimize their impacts on the land and provide memorable experiences for all their guests.”

The Colorado-based organization is committed to ensuring that ski area management decisions, either by the U.S. Forest Service, the ski companies, or local governments, are responsive to the needs of real environmental protection.

The coalition’s 2008/2009 Ski Area Environmental Scorecard for the western U.S. and a new scorecard for Canada are now available online.  Skiers can research by reading the sections Compare Ski Areas By State and Compare Ski Areas By Ownership. 

This year’s U.S. Scorecard has added six new ski areas including: Arizona’s Arizona Snowbowl, Idaho’s Tamarack Resort & Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Montana’s Moonlight Basin, Nevada’s Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, Washington’s Mt. Spokane. 

Interested in more green travel tips, check out TravelingtheGreenWay.com

By Guest Author: Sonya of TravelingtheGreenWay.com

Are you seeking green budget travel deals?  There are definitely deals out there for eco-travelers. Rather than deals alone, reconsider your travel planning habits and save money in 2009.  

Leading, UK-based, ethical travel company responsibletravel.com offers holidays by 270+ operators and 100s of villas, lodges, B&Bs and small hotels.  They suggests these smart tips:

• Book early: 
”Do this and you’ll have time to research the best holidays but also bag yourself the best bargains. Booking flights and train tickets early will save you a packet, and in fact some companies will concentrate on a smaller number of holidays they run so finding availability for your dream trip will get harder the later you leave it.”

• Travel closer to home: 
”Taking your holiday in the (U.S.) may turn out to be exactly the refreshing break you are looking for.” 

• Choose a small group adventure: 
”Small group adventures can be truly fantastic value. Your tour leader will have booked you as a group, for example, for your accommodation, and those group discounts are ultimately passed on to you. Your guide will also have all the local knowledge when it comes to haggling in the markets. Finally the price you pay often includes meals and accommodation, and if there are extra costs the leaders are clear about this up front, so you won’t be stung by this later down the line.”

Interested in more green travel tips, check out TravelingtheGreenWay.com

If there was an “eco-landscaping award,” the winner would be the Wildcatter Ranch.  Their gardner used wild plants found on the 1,500 acre ranch to landscape all resort buildings.  Even the flowers and rocks lining the fountains at the restaurant, were found on the property.

Now that is eco-landscaping!

If your are going on vacation via auto, think of taking your bike along.

When in a new town, cycling is a great way to get a different perspective of a place….and you also help the environment by not spending the day driving in your car.

A little birdie over at The Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, told me that they have a new program that allows guest driving hybrids to park overnight for free.

After some research I discovered that many hotels in the US offer a similar deal….and considering most hotels charge over $20 a night for parking, it’s a great deal!

So if you drive a hybrid, make sure to find out if the place your staying at has a deal like this.  To get more info on the Fairmont in San Jose, click here.