Shack up, save green at the Shore Club

Ah, the Shore Club. One of South Beach's swankiest hotels, it's a place to see and be seen, as evidenced by the very vocal couple that was consummating their relationship on their guestroom balcony the last time I was strolling though the pool area. An aphrodisiac if I've ever known one, that Miami heat. In all seriousness, and sexual escapades aside, the hotel is hot regardless of the temp. And during the next two months, Shore Club is teaming up with EarthEra to offer carbon balanced rooms at a rate discounted by 25 percent. (Use the rate code SPMEXI when booking the deal; valid on stays April 1, 2010 - May 31, 2010.)

For a list of other special offers, including the Green Getaway (dubbed "green" for an organic spa treatment and Acai cocktail... I know, I know), click here.

Earth Hour 2010 Across the Globe

This Saturday as the clock strikes 8:30 p.m., lights across the world will be flicked off in honor of Earth Hour 2010. While most of the flipped switches will be housed under residential roofs, a growing number of hoteliers and landmark properties like the Empire State Building are calling "lights out" too. (In 2009, an estimated 80 million Americans participated.)

For the third year in a row, each of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts' 60 locations will go dark for one hour to promote a "low-carbon future," according to the company. At the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, Germany, guests can enjoy a candlelit dinner and at The Fairmont Orchid in  Hawaii, visitors have the opportunity to sip hot cocoa and roast s'mores over an oceanside fire pit. And in the Big D, Texas guests can gather at Pyramid Bar for a "Happy Earth Hour" where local, organic apps will be served alongside an Ecotini, whatever that is...

To see all participating sponsors, like the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, click here. Then leverage the lengthy list to convince your fave hotels to do the same. Because let's be honest, it's pretty easy to have a good time in the dark when you're with the right company.

Green or Grim: Luxe Hermes Yacht Sails on Solar

What do you get when you mix a Monaco-based ship-builder with the luxe crafter behind the ever-enviable Birkin bag? An Hermes yacht, naturally. Or, rather, a 125-foot-wide, top of the line vessel set for somewhat sustainable cruising.

Named the WHY (oh, the irony), the boat boasts an indoor swimming pool, spiral staircase, and expansive sun deck. To its environmental credit, it also includes 900 solar panels and a diesel-electric propulsion system that saves roughly 200 tons of fuel per year.

The price of premiere sailing comes at a pretty penny, unfortunately. This joint venture between Wally and Hermes cashes in around $150.8 million.

Bottom line: I like the concept that in previous years has been created on a smaller scale. The stigma that can't be kicked, however: It's a YACHT. Go book yourself a sailboat and let the wind do the work.

Who's worrying now? Top U.S. eco concerns

Was it the leaked environmental scientist e-mails... or can it be blamed on the weakened state of our economy? Whatever the reasoning, Americans are less worried about environmental issues today than they have been in the past 20 years. True story, according to a recent poll by Gallup.

Approximately 33 percent of people are concerned by the loss of tropical rain forests, 31 percent are worried about plant and animal extinction, and a measly 28 percent are losing sleep over global warming. So, what gives?   Apparently, the U.S. is more upbeat about the strides taken in environmental quality, making it a less worrisome topic around the dinner table. And perhaps, a less tangible marketing angle for tourism operators worldwide.

When it comes to eco fears, the issue most worried about in the states is pollution of drinking water (although it's still down 9 percent from last year).

On the bookshelf: The Art of Dining In

When Cathy Erway's The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove came across my desk, I was unfamiliar with the twenty-something New York blogger who had shunned eating out in favor of kitchen-created cuisine. Even in my suburban neck of the woods, dining out--or take home carry-out--holds major appeal, despite its environmental impact. And when it comes to travel, eating out, whether in a fine dining establishment, airport food court, or fast food chain, is practically a necessary indulgence.

In her book, Erway, who launched the Not Eating Out in N.Y. blog in 2006, chronicles her creative culinary undertakings and the path that led her from day one of blogging to the official "opposite week," two years later, in which she eases into the occasional dine-out lifestyle. In the book, Erway explores a plethora of foodie factions, including underground supper clubs and cook-offs, to freeganism and dumpster-diving. Along the way, she forages Brooklyn's Prospect Park for edible greens and weighs the differences (literally) of the same meal in take-out and homemade versions. (If you hadn't guessed, the waste created in the take-out version drastically outweighs the simple home-cooked meal.)

As I made my way through the hard cover--part Erway's life story, part cook book--I considered the pros and cons of eating out while traveling. The pros, vast in number, include convenience, experience, and culture,   among others, and a strong debate that supporting locally-run establishments contributes to the overall economy... and benefits small business owners worldwide. The cons, not surprisingly, include massive waste, often lesser-quality ingredients, and a distinct separation from farm to table. Not to mention outrageous energy consumption... restaurants use five times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings and five times more energy in the kitchen than in the rest of the building, according to the National Restaurant Association.

That said, having been inspired by Erway's approach, I still find myself on the fence when it comes to travel-related dining. And in a recent post on her blog, Erway debates the issue herself.

Bottom line: Prep for en-route snacks yourself. Whether it's homemade granola, fresh fruit (chopped is better, in my opinion, because apple cores aren't always easy to toss away on a plane), or a simple sandwich, make sure its easy to eat on the run. But when you've reached your destination, feel free to treat yourself. Make the most of it by choosing locally-owned and operated dining establishments that source ingredients locally, offer organic and vegan options, and if possible, encourage social responsibility.

The Great Debate on Hybrid Parking

A recent Treehugger post, The Perverse Hybrid Incentive, got me thinking. In it, Adam Lowry promotes the idea of low-carbon commuting incentives over the more popular overnight hybrid vehicle parking discounts we see at eco-minded hotels like the W Hotel in San Francisco. To make his point, he explains that his mother-in-law, who drives a 22-mpg Toyota Highlander Hybrid, is privy to the "hybrid parking" perk, while he in his 40-mpg VW Jetta Diesel pays full price. The monstrosity(!), right? As most of us know, "hybrid" does not always equate to the most environmentally friendly option.

Some hoteliers, however, aren't jilting the true treehuggers. Take, for instance, The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Mass., which recently implemented initiatives like the Hotel Bike program, which gives guests free use of an Electra Amsterdam Classic bicycle--equipped with shopping baskets, naturally--to pedal the streets of Cambridge in eco style. Also intriguing is a new nanoMAX small car detection system that measures vehicles as they enter the garage and charges rates based on size. Small cars get a discounted parking rate, hybrid or not. According to this blog, the hotel also offers free charging for hybrids and EVs.

Similarly, The Heathman Hotel in Portland, Ore. offers complimentary parking for "guests arriving in a green-friendly or hybrid vehicle" as a part of its Go Green Package... my bet is that a Jetta diesel would score free parking under these terms.

Bottom line: Ask your hotel if they'll honor your environmental strides by expanding a hybrid discount to include diesels, bikes, or even public modes of transit (a discount off your room rate, perhaps, since you won't require parking). In the least, you'll help to spur the "What's green really mean?" conversation among hotel management.

Suitcase Staple: All-natural skincare packables

There's something so indulgent about a packaged skincare travel set. One look at my typical quart-sized ZipLock, required by the TSA, and everyone in line at the security check line knows I'm a fanatic of several brands, including Tom's of Maine, Weleda, and The Body Shop. That's why six products--all similar in design--and packaged neatly in less than three ounce containers seems like a luxury. A coordinated luxury at that.

My latest love in the suitcase staple category is this mini travel set by natural skincare expert Deep Steep. Available in a multitude of scents, the set offers up miniature versions of honey bubble bath, body wash, polish, lotion, butter and a clever, twist-up moisture stick.

Free of parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and petroleum, the products contain zero artificial fragrances and chemical preservatives... I'm a fan of the grapefruit/bergamot collection, which is a ripe-smelling set that leaves just a trace of fresh scent on your skin. Not to mention, it comes in the sweetest little carry-on case. 

If you're looking for a set like this one, which runs $14.95, check out Deep Steep or the travel section of FutureNatural, an organic beauty site loaded with tempting treats.

LEED Platinum and Posh on the West Coast

If the lure of wine isn't enough to have you packing your bags for California's Napa Valley, perhaps  Bardessono Hotel and Spa will be. The luxe West Coast digs recently became the third hotel in the world to achieve LEED Platinum certification - an impressive feat within the tourism sphere. The naturally elegant and certainly chic 62-room boutique boats innovative efforts from roof to ground - literally. Starting at the flat top roof, Bardessono is blanketed with 947 solar panels that fuel roughly one half of the property's electricity needs. Beneath the glossy panels, visitors lounge in guestrooms that each feature a minimum of 200-square-feet of glass to allow natural lighting and ventilation. And far beneath the hotel (300 feet deep, to be exact) reside 72 geothermal wells to heat and cool the property.

Take one look at the sleek exterior of the hotel and you'll see the stones originally used to build the Bardessono's 1970s home, which was incorporated into an existing stone building meant for wine storage, according to the hotel's website. And all visible wood - deep hues of Orchard Walnut, Redroom, Elm and Monterey Cypruss - was salvaged, and would have otherwise been burned or ground up.

Naturally, the list of eco endeavors goes on and on. Water recycling, composting, low-flow fixtures and LED lighting make the list. And better yet, amenities include everything organic, from linens to cocktails, and a farm-fresh restaurant. Lastly, not to be forgotten, my favored indulgence - the spa. I'd sign up for the Vinotherapie Massage, a treatment based on the anti-aging properties of organic Chardonnay grape seed oil ($125 for 60 minutes). Yes, PLEASE.

For a full list of the hotel's environmental initiatives, available online, click here.