Yes, I practice & consider sustainability. There is a growing support for this, however, most company's are motivated simply by greed - thus the extra charge. And that's backwards; there should be a charge or fee for NOT being green. I'd rather spend my precious few remaining dollars on ACTUALLY cleaning up the planet myself, not on these company's Executive bonuses. So, I consider sustainability, but if there's an extra charge, I won't patronize that company.

Posted By Just Me on October 22, 2007, 12:31 PM

Absolutely. I want to promote and help any and all companies which promote a healthier planet. Along with places easing more into becoming Vegan. Not enough people are aware how truly unhealthy it is to eat meat, much less 'produce it' to get it on our plates. I absolutely will support hotels which are green friendly along with it's restaurants!

Posted By Tricia on October 22, 2007, 12:47 PM

The onus is on all of us to help save the planet. We all must make sacrifices, even if that means taking fewer trips and doing business with companies that have a documented track record of going green. Until we pressure industry to change we will continue on this dangerous path to ecological catastrophe.

Posted By Cindy Hill on October 22, 2007, 12:52 PM

I would definitely consider it, especially if other factors like price/convenience were close to being equal (which is often true of hotels and rental cars).

It's currently pretty challenging and time-consuming to consider sustainability, however.

I think all travel companies should use offsets to work toward carbon neutrality and make it easier to compare their environmental programs.

Posted By bob on October 22, 2007, 12:56 PM

ABSOLUTELY! It's that important ~ Our diets are very restricted due to health issues & that makes it difficult to eat out. So for companies to provide "the green factor" as an option for the general public is a huge consideration for us as a family.

Posted By Chris on October 22, 2007, 1:16 PM

While it is laudable that many folks increasingly are aware of, and say they would pay extra to support sustainable tourism this is not really the issue. Supporting travel practices (and for that matter any efforts) that reduce our overall consumption of environmental resources should not be a "choice", it should be what companies in the travel business are required to provide.

For example when I go to buy a new car I am not "offered" the choice to buy a cheaper car that does not have seatbelts and headlights. The government says that in order for me to drive a car and for the company to make a car it MUST have headlights and seatbelts. Further, each year or two I am required to pay someone to have my car inspected making sure this equipment is still in place, operational, and working as expected. If not, or if I cannot afford to pay for these things then I simply cannot drive a car.

There should be no choice involved in doing what is right!

No one ever said it was going to be cheaper, or just slightly more to do what is right. In fact it may add 25% more cost to your travel to do what is right. But in my opinion that is what travel should cost to begin with. Whether or not we are "choosing" to pay this cost now or later in the end we will all be paying the environmental cost of our consumption one way or the other.

Posted By Wayne Sentman on October 22, 2007, 1:26 PM

Why? Why, would I pay more for something like this when global warming is a natural occurance. I'm tired of being taxed by these 1960's hippies. next thing you'll want is everybody eat grass.

Posted By Quinton L. Horne on October 22, 2007, 1:32 PM

No I do not think we should pay for sustainability. When we travel, there are huge extra charges tacked on to our hotel and car rental fees as it is--25% and more when you include taxes. So we're footing pretty heft fees for local "tourism" as it is--a visitor's tax. It's ridiculously high in some places. Add more, and I'll go elsewhere.

I am all for saving my towels and sheets in hotels. But I wonder on those towels--every time I reuse mine, they get folded up, and put with the "clean" ones. So when I come to the new room, are they recycling used towels that the maids folded up to look "clean" again?

If there is a card to re-use sheets and towels, bath mat, etc, I will do that. I do not see it followed consistently in hotels I visit.

Help us be environmentally conscious and we will. Make it easy.

Posted By Debbie Christofferson on October 22, 2007, 1:44 PM

Here's my question: Why should there be a charge and how does that help? Just because someone tells you that you're a pig so you should self-punish by paying more, that doesn't mean it actually does the environment any good! For many, it's simply another way to make more money. Do these companies really spend all the money planting trees, or establishing roof gardens, bike paths and compost heaps in their communities? I can tell you from personal experience, living green costs LESS!

Posted By Just Me on October 22, 2007, 1:51 PM

Sustainability is everyone's responsibility. Of course, having said that, it's already tough to swallow ticket prices. However, if I am willing to pay more for a nonstop flight, I am definitely willing to pay more for services from an ecologically responsible company (within my budget's reason, of course).

All this said, however, I think traveling in general isn't an especially sustainable activity. Currently the fastest and most convenient method of travel consumes a gross amount of fossil fuel, which is unfortunate. At least they don't serve those bland, individually packaged flight meals any longer.

Posted By Tonya on October 22, 2007, 3:08 PM

In marked contrast to companies who may be promoting their green practices for self-serving reasons, I came across a travel booking website called Whole Travel that is genuinely pursuing sustainability. They select only unique resorts, hotels and tours that have sustainable practices. The suppliers go through a stringent eco-travel screening process that combines factors from credible non-profit organizations and proprietary: green,local employees and products, and conservation of the environment.

Posted By ajb on October 22, 2007, 3:25 PM

Why would I have to pick up the cost of them being or painting themselves "green"?

"Green" should be a way they differ themselves from the competition, not a way to gouge me.

Posted By S. Kimmel on October 22, 2007, 3:44 PM

No, I won't pay extra! We are being priced and taxed to death in the name of "green" and "eco-friendly" principles by agencies over which we have no elective control, when their true goal is running viable companies out of business. Soon we'll be living back in caves, but without the license to have fires for cooking and warmth. Let "environmentalists" live in their own unhappy little world and leave the rest of us alone!

Posted By Daniel J. Vandeberg on October 22, 2007, 4:22 PM

AHH, all of this "green" garbage, is making me see RED!!!!! Enough

Posted By Ellen Minyard on October 22, 2007, 4:55 PM

I wouldn't pay a dime extra. Just imagining all the jet setting, mansion living, BTU gulping stars and millionairs who wisk in and out of Vail pretending to live the eco friendly green lifestyle makes me sick. If we all lived like Al Gore, global warming would accelerate by a factor of 10!!!

Posted By Alan Griffin on October 22, 2007, 10:41 PM

Yes I would consider a hotel, car, airline, etc., that uses environmentally clean practices before I'd consider others. I'd pay a little more for them too. We've dirtied the planet---let's clean it up for our kids and grandkids.

Posted By Lila on October 23, 2007, 12:04 AM

I of course support any and all efforts that will help save our environment. However the one thing I have never been able to understand is WHY everything that comes along that is better or benifecial to us as a people has always got to cost more!! If all businesses did the right thing to begin with improvments should happen automaticly with only minor cost adjustments.

Posted By Denny Turpin on October 23, 2007, 11:18 AM

I would be less likely to support any business that was managed by someone so ignorant to think that man is responsible for global warming.

Posted By lwm on October 23, 2007, 10:45 PM

Yes, But I'm not all that sure that organicly raised & processed foods constitute being "green"! Let's remember in our zeal for all things "natural" that mosquitoes, rattle-snakes, staph & syphillis are all very "natural" & just look how wonderful they all are for us !

Posted By Morris Schrock on October 24, 2007, 10:21 PM

Absolutely, YES, definitely! Given the choice, why wouldn't we spend a liitle more on vacation in support of the planet that supports us? Our spending decisions impact not only the environment today, but also our options tomorrow. Spend wisely...

Posted By Greg Settle on October 27, 2007, 1:20 PM

For those of you looking for an amazing opportunity in sustainable travel, I most definitely recommend Sustainable Bolivia (http://www.sustainablebolivia.org). It is a development- based organization located in Cochabamba Bolivia and has a plethora of volunteer opportunities for the eco-friendly traveler. I had an amazing experience working at a local orphanage. Sustainable Bolivia will help you set up your volunteership, find housing, and even provide Spanish classes. My time with them was the highlight of my time in Bolivia.

Posted By Nicole on April 10, 2008, 3:52 PM

"Would you pay more" is corporate-speak for "We increase profit and get a bigger bonus!"
Absolutely not. Living green is so much cheaper than the gotta-have-the-biggest-shiniest-loudest-fastest-absolute-best-use-it-once-&-throw-it-away lifestyle. Companies that try to charge more are dishonest and playing on the average person's ignorance of "green" and guilt over their lifestyles.

Posted By Cynthia on April 21, 2008, 12:56 PM

Please get your politics out of your magazine. Not all of us subscribe to the ideology of manmade global warming. Every time I hear the word ''sustainable'', I recognize that it is either corporate-speak or eco-speak for charging consumers higher prices. I am not going to pay more for anyone's ideology, and I want travel providers who give good value for money, not those who inject politics into their product.

Posted By RS on April 23, 2008, 1:06 AM