On my 10 steps to 10×10 page, step #7 suggests taking a hard look at your commuting and travel habits.

That's easy for me to say: I choose not to fly, am very content with life in Jackson Hole–even during mud season–and work at home. My vacations are road trips. I'm working on reducing the number of road trips I take and am in the market for a more fuel efficient vehicle.

On the other hand, I've got a friend who is on the verge of taking a new job which will require significant travel. When he asked me what I thought about the opportunity, I encouraged him to go for it–regardless of the travel it will require. You see, I fully believe that he will limit his business travel as much as he can, and his work as an environmental consultant will have a net positive effect on the climate challenge we face.

If he were to ask me my opinion on vacation travel, however, I would discourage anything but a once-in-a-lifetime trip (like his upcoming honeymoon).

But who am I to criticize folks' vacation travel choices?

Mark Ellingham, founder of the Rough Guides, is someone who makes his living off other folks' travel. Yesterday he took a strong stand in The Independent:

There is no such thing as an "ethical" or "responsible" holiday.

It is hard to say the positive impact traveling has can ever outweigh the damage done by simply traveling to the destination.

The tobacco industry fouled up the world while denying it as much as possible for as long as they could. If the travel industry rosily goes ahead as it is doing… we are putting ourselves in a very similar position to the tobacco industry.

Strong statements, indeed, from someone whose livelihood contributes to the problem. Here's hoping that sales of Ellingham's Rough Guide to Climate Change go through the roof and help offset any loss of revenue from his travel guides.

Carbon Neutral Journal's choices are brought to you by Jorgensen Associates.

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