No applause necessary, unless you'd really like

I just love being included in great green round-ups, here's a new one that highlights our certifiably green travel content: 100 Great Blogs for Green Students.

Do you have other favorites that didn't make the list? Leave it in the comments!

Snapshot of paradise

You know those days when you feel like you could really use a vacation?
This is one of them. Seeking serenity now, I'm uploading some of my favorite snapshots from Clayoquot Wilderness Resort's site... full of rock-you-to-sleep type scenes that have me wishing for a little bit of British Columbia right here in Michigan.

For the full scoop on the resort, read my post @ Alternative Consumer.

Planning an Eco-Scape in Jackson Hole

Hotel Terra, skier's dream and Jackson Hole's green darling, has begun its campaign to lure the winter-ready among us to Wyoming with a lineup of green theme "eco-scapes."

The posh property, which blends rustic appeal with admirable LEED Silver certification, offers an impressive array of green efforts in addition to chic accommodations and superb location. Included in my list of favorites are 90 percent, naturally-lit hotel interiors; 100 percent offset electricity; guest-accessible water stations for  aluminum bottle refills; and clever, eco-chic design components (like those recycled seatbelt chairs in the photo below).

Opened last year, the 132-room hotel is tempting travelers with a bevy of packages for the looming season:

Winter Eco-Scape: A four-night package with one day of private guided skiing or ski lesson, a snowcoach tour in Yellowstone, lift tickets to  Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for two and a 50-minute spa treatment at Chill Spa, where only 100 percent natural products are used. Starts at $598 per night.

America's largest (greenest) companies

This week, Newsweek announced their 2009 Green Rankings - an "exclusive" look at the environmental impact of our nation's 500 largest corporations. The well-known  names dominating the travel sector are hardly surprising if you're a frequent consumer of eco news.

Can you guess who landed at the top of travel?

1. Walt Disney (Disney's Eco Makeover)
2. Marriott International (Marriott's Eco Initiative)
3. Starwood Hotels & Resorts (Starwood's Element Hotels)
4. Wyndham Worldwide (New WyndhamGreen Program)
5. Las Vegas Sands
6. Carnival
7. MGM Mirage
8. Wynn Resorts
9. Southwest Airlines
10. Delta Air Lines

Oregon Adds Another LEED: Courtyard City Ctr.

Earlier today, on the west coast's "hub" of alternative action, Marriott's Courtyard Portland City Center hotel was certified LEED-Gold by the USGBC. Powered by wind and hydroelectricity, the 256-room property reduced energy consumption by 30 percent during its recent redesign. This feat is coupled with the composting of kitchen waste, creation of biodiesel fuel (from used cooking oil), and employee garb that's fashioned from recycled plastic bottles. Chic, no?

Located near shopper's central, the Pearl District, and ever-blooming Rose Garden, this hotel is a hop, skip and jump from eco-dining options like the Farm Cafe, Wildwood, and Urban Farmer. Want to scope out the city's leafy appeal? TravelPortland lists their top-notch nature-viewing suggestions here.

Nature: Captured in Time

The only thing better than witnessing a rare and wondrous moment in nature is capturing the moment with a swift click of a button. As time erodes memories, the fortunate among us have photographic proof... the kind that you never tire of losing yourself in.

Next month, the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole will debut "The Natural World: Photographs by Thomas D. Mangelsen." Chronicling 20 years of photography (nowhere near a studio), the exhibit highlights a selection of panoramic images that span 10 ecosystems, each accompanied with excerpts from Mangelsen's journal.

A theme that runs throughout the photo line-up is conservation. Says Mangelsen in a press release, "These animals, even the most seemingly insignificant ones, are the barometer of the health of this planet. It doesn't take long to realize that we are on that same chain, we are all linked in nature."

If you're not in Jackson Hole, but are as curious as I am, check out the accompanying book, "The Natural World," a 256-page hardcover filled to the brim with Mangelsen's moving artwork.

The National Parks: America's Best Idea

In 2008, 275 million visitors geared up for a trek through America's National Parks. From Yellowstone to Yosemite, that's a lot of Gore-Tex.

With the first audible "crunch" of leaves, a new rush of nature lovers and adventurers will hit the trails for the season's dramatic display of foliage. If you're one of them (and you happen to live in NCY), you'll want to get a taste of what's in store by checking out National Parks Week NYC, which kicked off last Saturday. View all the events here.

This Wednesday, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and PBS will host a free concert--featuring the Counting Crows, Eric Benet, Gavin DeGraw, Alison Krauss and the Union Station, and more--while doling out teasers for Ken Burn's upcoming film "The National Parks: America's Best Idea."

Want in? Head to Central Park's East Meadow @ 7:00 pm.

The New Alternative Consumer

Oooh, have you seen? The Alternative Consumer, the go-to resource for eco-minded shoppers, has just launched a new, beauiful website. You'll definitely want to check it out.

Chicago's River North gets a LEED-ing hotel

The Windy City might be home to Green Seals and hip, Energy Star-rated hotels, but most folks consider LEED certification king of "standardized green." That's what makes the LEED Gold Certification (Existing Buildings, Operations & Maintenance) of the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart such a big deal. As of this month, it's the first LEED certified hotel in the city.

Built in 1977 in the River North district, it's not the most chic building you could imagine, but what it lacks in luster, it makes up for in intelligence. A part of the 2.25 million square foot, 25-story 350 West Mart Center, the hotel is made up of 521 guestrooms and recently underwent a redesign that updated several hotel areas and added solar window film that will help the building to better maintain its temperature.

The hotel has also adopted many new eco initiatives, including a Sustainable Purchasing Policy that makes purchasing green products (like cleaning supplies, furniture, electronics, etc.) a priority.

For visitors who love art (River North has the largest concentration of art galleries in the U.S. outside of Manhattan) and design, and a solid selection of dining options, this is a convenient location to stay.

Cali's Wente Vineyards Goes to School

Give. Grow. Green. Three pretty simple words, yet each are loaded with meaning when we look at them individually. When I sit down to write a post for Green Globetrotter, those words -give/grow/green - are the mantra that plays in the back of my mind. The travelsphere is chock full of eco-driven initiatives today, happily obliging the conscious wanderers among us. But, many of those programs and initiatives aren't coming from a place of truth. They're greenwash, as we've come to dub them. And to combat it, I'm sticking with my give/grow/green concept, which rules that every idea is somehow giving back, encouraging growth, and promoting sustainability.

One example of a company that's leveraging their sustainable practices is Livermore, California's Wente Vineyards, who this weekend, will partner with a local college to educate students on their conservation practices. Ecology and biology students of Las Positas College will be participating, taking in the sights of The Course at Wente Vineyards and learning about its involvement with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, as well as the Wente family's "Farming for the Future" philosophy.

"Farming for the Future" is a concept that extends across the family's 3,000 acres of Estate vineyards, into The Restaurant, the golf course and all property activities. Created in the early 1990s, it is a system of practices that enhances the vitality of the soils, nurtures a balanced and sustainable ecology, minimizes water use and reduces non-organic waste.

Cheers to that.

Summer Vacation!

I know... it's been far too long since I've posted on Green Globetrotter. Truth is, here in Michigan it's summertime and I'm taking the few short months of warm weather and soaking it all up!

No worries, you can follow the latest on green travel news by checking out Alternative Consumer, where I'm still posting weekly.

For now, enjoy the sunshine!

Jessica

Suitcase Staple: Repurposed leather journals

What better place to jot your travel notes than this beauty of a journal, made from repurposed leather and recycled paper. By Dogeared, the collection of soft, supple books come in small (2.5 x 4) and large (4 x 5.5) sizes and range from $32 - $50.

Handcrafted in California, they'll arrive at your doorstep in recycled brown paper bag wrapping, ready for all the salacious scribbles detailing your escapes. After all, a photo album can only capture so many memories.

Available in an array of sassy shades and emblazoned with either a peace symbol or "LOVE," the journals complement Dogeared's line-up of eco-friendly goodies, which include soy travel candle tins, organic shoe sack, lingerie bag, and the hipster belt purse that looks pretty functional for a day of touring, if you can pull of the style.

The top US National Parks

This summer, 73 percent of travelers plan to escape to a National Park, according to a recent Trip Advisor survey. And where do they plan to pitch their tent... hike the trails... or row the river?

Here, the top 10 parks as voted by the public:

1. Zion National Park, Utah
2. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
3. White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
4. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
5. Redwood National and State Parks, California
6. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada
7. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
8. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
9. Yosimite National Park, California
10. Acadia National Park, Maine

Which is your favorite? And which is on the top of your list?

Two-Day Stay: Baltimore

Let's face it. The economy sucks. For many folks, especially those here in Michigan, the summer getaway of yesteryear simply isn't an option. So we're rounding up the best 2-day stays money can buy your green self. Read on for my top-pick 2009 summer destination: Baltimore.

"People go to Baltimore for business travel." That was the response I received more than once before packing up and heading eastward. Turns out, if the only thing you're bringing to Baltimore is a suitcase of loafers, you're out of luck.

On Maryland's coast, Baltimore boasts a palatable blend of historic charm and modern must-haves. Most appealing of all is the walkability of the Inner Harbor, where I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, a perfectly comfortable hotel that's best feature was its prime location (check out their sustainability policy here.)

If you're heading to the city this July or after, check into the new LEED-certified Fairfield Inn & Suites, which I was treated to a hardhat tour of, courtesy of general manager Patric Leary. For the full scoop on this 154-room hotel, housed in what was once the Baltimore Brewing Co., read on at Alternative Consumer.


Day One
What better way to stretch out of a car or airplane-induced cramp than on bicycle? Make the pedaling truly worthwhile by joining a bakery bike tour with Monumental Tours, run by daytime pediatrician RS Brown. Delightfully droolworthy, the tour constitutes as breakfast and serves up an equally satisfying helping of city history.

Afterwards, hop aboard a water taxi and travel over historic Federal Hill where you'll find Spoons Coffee Cafe. This is the place for lunch, offering up a mile-long menu of locally-sourced, natural options. Find a tucked-away table to chat or admire local artwork while you sip on organic coffee and await a Blue Crab and Asparagus Frittatta or a Strawberry Fields Salad.

Heading back toward the Inner Harbor, you'll pass the National Aquarium and Maryland Science Center. They're both worth a look - even more so if weather isn't on your side. Or, if you're interested in more mindless entertainment, head on over to Harborplace and the Gallery for some seaside shopping. As you'll see, the harbor is a people watcher's dream. Find a grassy space and park it for a while... the view of the water is gorgeous and I recommend soaking it up.


For dinner, take a cab to Clipper Park and visit Woodberry Kitchen, a farm to table experience that mates seasonal foods from local growers with the chef's creative, homestyle flare, for a meal that's rich in Chesapeake tradition. Expect a crowd to fill the dining room on the weekends, where stacks of chopped logs, brick walls and candlelight create a cozy atmosphere. While you're waiting for your meal to be served, enjoy a view of the chef as he artfully adds the finishing touch to each dish at the cook's table. (Pictured above.)

Day Two
Start your day with breakfast at Ze Mean Bean Cafe in Fell's Point, a city dweller favorite that's known for their Sunday Jazz Brunch. Once a coffeehouse and cafe (hence, "mean bean"), the two-story restaurant now features a wine bar. It's easy location on Fleet Street also makes it an ideal starting point for a walk through the cobbled stone streets and alleyways of historic Fell's Point, founded in 1763.

The Preservation Society offers guided walking tours or you can embrace electricity and climb onto a self-balancing Segway for a two-hour, two-wheel tour through Fell's Point and the inner city.


Whatever you do, make sure you take a moment to swing into Pitango Gelato on Broadway, where you can sample all-natural gelato until your heart is content. Made with organic milk and local produce, this gelato is the real deal. I recommend a cup of half Nocciola (hazelnut) gelato and half Bourbon Vanilla. Positively delicous.

Across the harbor, in the Mount Vernon cultural district, you can visit the Futurefarmers exhibit: The Reverse Ark - In the Wake through August. Part art installation, part community project, this collection of recycled resources makes a social, political and environmental statement. Peek into George Peabody's Library too, where you'll bear witness to the most magnificent display of books in the nation.

Finish up your two-day stay with dinner at family-owned Lebanese Taverna, offering a wide variety of healthy Middle Eastern meals, or Pazo, specializing in Mediterranean dishes - and boasting a 100-label wine list.

For more info, visit http://www.baltimore.org/ or check out the city's green guide.

100% sustainable resort near San Diego coming

This August, Anza, California, near San Diego, will become the home of SoCal's newest ecotourism hot spot as the Ramona Band (of the Cahuilla Indian Tribe) is slated to open the first 5 of 38 cabins in an off-grid retreat.

According to Hospitality Design, the project if jointly funded by the Ramona Band, the Dept. of Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and multiple other federal agencies, and will employ several alternative energy technologies to self sustain. The resort, in addition to providing lodging for leisure and corporate travelers, will serve as an educational experience that touches on Native American culture and naturally green lifestyle practices.

The apparently yet-to-be-named resort boasts a line-up of key green technologies, including: a solar-powered water treatment plant; windmill-powered wastewater treatment plant; bio-diesel plant; fuel cells; electric vehicles and LED lighting.

For the full scoop, check out this Wind Today article.