The explorer inside me always seems to be at odds with my greenie conscience—all those flights and car excursions add up to a lot of carbon emissions, and that’s not good. Now there’s a new player in the carbon offsetting game: Terrapass calculates your carbon footprint and then tells you how many offsets to purchase in order to neutralize the negative environmental effects of your vacation. And by supporting carbon-reduction projects like wind-powered clean energy, the company aims to restore balance to the atmosphere and compensate for our guilty pleasures.

Terrapass has partnered with big-name travel outfits like Expedia, Enterprise, and Alamo, so building offsets into your itinerary is as easy as a few extra clicks during the booking process. And once your travel plans are squared away, you can calculate the effects of planning a wedding, running a business, or heating your house. What’s more, energy conservation tips are posted regularly. So even if you’re staying home this summer, the site is worth a look.

Kelley : Sustainable living
March 5th, 2008