“Putting a serious price on carbon will both get us closer to the serious energy reductions we need to make but also accelerate the domestic development and adoption of these technologies,” he explained.

Reicher suggests that exposing the hidden costs of dirty fuels will set off a rush of investment in new energy innovations. He says carbon pricing is an “essential signal we have to get to.” Right now, “money is sitting there to make significant investments,” he says, but the cash flow is sidelined because the incentives aren’t there.

The bigger picture

“In general terms,” said Reicher, “a carbon price will do a lot to advance the competitiveness of these technologies that offer serious climate reductions, help for our energy security, increase our domestic fuels, and can create all sorts of jobs.”

As Reicher puts its, if a company has to actually dish out cash to cover the price of carbon emissions, said company would be forced to change toward cleaner energy as well as less energy consumption altogether. Then, it would make good business sense for companies to invest in new technology.

And similar ideas would follow us home, too. With accurate carbon pricing, households would actually save money by reducing their electricity loads, while the demand for cheap, energy efficient technology would skyrocket – again, as a method of helping our wallets.

Google is particularly interested in this low hanging fruit of energy efficiency which Reicher says “grows back” as we switch from incandescent to compact fluorescents and now to LED. At each step we save more energy and promote more innovation, making the area particularly ripe for investment dollars.

When Google says “Jump”….

So, what’s in it for the web giant? A whole lot, actually. Google already has products on the market that help consumers save electricity, such as Google Power Meter – an online tool that helps you monitor and reduce your energy consumption while offering tips on the cheapest and easiest ways you can reduce energy.

“Putting a serious price of carbon will both get us closer to the serious energy reductions we need to make but also accelerate the domestic development and adoption of these technologies,” added Reicher.

With government support and incentive via carbon pricing, private investment and competitive innovation will allow green development the opportunity to flourish within a mainstream market.

The all-new Green Travel Choice app incorporates support for sustainable ecotourism programs as well as clean energy projects that reduce or displace greenhouse gas emissions.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) has teamed up with activist group Cleaner Climate and Pocketweb (provider of Pocket Life, an award-winning location-based web and mobile platform) to produce the new, location-based iPhone App for responsible travelers. Green Travel Choice uses GPS functionality to  track a traveler’s CO2 footprint and enable them to make informed travel choices while helping to reduce the impact of their journeys.

With only two clicks, the Green Travel Choice map will show possible travel options (out of nine typical modes of transport) for your route and the expected CO2 emissions for each transport option.

Incentive for change

When you download the Green Travel Choice app, you will also receive a US$15 voucher to join The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) as a Traveler member.

“TIES team is excited to support and be part of this joint initiative to raise awareness of the climate impact of individual travelers,” says Ayako Ezaki, TIES Director of Communications. “Green Travel Choice is not your usual carbon calculator; it offers a new and innovative – and fun – approach to measuring and managing your footprint.”

Unlike other tools that offer static carbon calculation, Green Travel Choice allows you to track and monitor your emissions as you move. The application includes the Travel Logbook function that stores information on each trip, serving as a summary of your travel carbon footprint over time.

At any time, you can use this information to optimize your CO2 saving, offset your emissions or share your numbers with your friends, colleagues, and sustainability programs at your workplace.

According to Ben Muir, Managing Director of Cleaner Climate, the average motorist in Australia emits around 0.08kg (0.2lbs) of CO2 every week in car travel related emissions.

“With the Green Travel Choice application, you can design a weekly route incorporating low-carbon alternatives to car travel and reduce your motoring carbon footprint significantly as well as the related costs such as fuel and vehicle maintenance,” said Muir.

The partnership approach of Green Travel Choice helps to continually drive clean technology innovation, as well as helping incorporate carbon footprint awareness into consumers’ everyday travel choices.

“The Green Travel Choice app,” adds Muir, “is also a unique and innovate way of promoting and supporting clean energy investment, so we are thrilled to be a part of such an exciting
development.”

So, if you have an iPhone, check out the Green Travel Choice app, now available on the iPhone App Store now.

For more information, visit TIES at http://www.ecotourism.org, Cleaner Climate at http://www.cleanerclimate.com and Pocketweb at http://www.pocketweb.com.au.

The technologically-advanced 787 uses 20 percent less fuel than today’s airplanes of comparable size, while providing airlines with up to 45 percent more cargo revenue capacity and present passengers with innovations that include a new interior environment with cleaner air, larger windows, more stowage space, improved lighting and other passenger-preferred conveniences.

Another industry breakthrough on the aircraft is its lightweight quiet nacelle and thrust reverser system including its actuation system. A deeper-than-normal lip skin at the front of the nacelle greatly reduces drag and improves fuel efficiency. A one-piece acoustic inner liner significantly reduces engine noise, both in the passenger cabin and airport neighborhoods.

“Today is truly a proud and historic day for the global team who has worked tirelessly to design and build the 787 Dreamliner – the first all-new jet airplane of the 21st century,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. “We look forward to the upcoming flight test program and soon bringing groundbreaking levels of efficiency, technology and passenger comfort to airlines and the flying public.”

The 787 is also equipped with Goodrich-provided air data sensors, ice detectors, engine data concentrators, fuel management software and the fuel quantity indicating system.

In addition, Goodrich provides the aircraft’s proximity-sensing system as well as the integrated fuel system for the auxiliary power unit.

Other Goodrich products on board the new jet include an innovative cargo operating system; cabin attendant seating; exterior and flight deck lighting systems; integrated heated composite floor panels; and a unique flight deck entry video surveillance system designed to interface with the aircraft’s electronic flight bag system.

The aircraft will be joined in the flight test program in the coming weeks and months by five other 787s, including two that will be powered by General Electric GEnx engines.

Taking flight into the future

After a flight time of approximately three hours, the Dreamliner landed at 1:33 p.m. at Seattle’s Boeing Field.

Capts. Carriker and Neville took the airplane to an altitude of 15,000 feet (4,572 meters) and an air speed of 180 knots, or about 207 miles (333 kilometers) per hour, customary on a first flight, while testing some of the airplane’s systems and structures, as on-board equipment recorded and transmitted real-time data to a flight-test team at Boeing Field.

Fifty-five customers around the world have ordered 840 787s, making the 787 Dreamliner the fastest-selling new commercial jetliner in history.

“The Dreamliner is going to be a tremendous addition to our fleet, providing our customers with a better travel experience in the cabin and new technology that reduces our impact on the environment, increases fuel efficiency and provides cost savings,” said John Tague, president of United Airlines. “This is a great day, and we congratulate Boeing on the success of the test flight and look forward to our continued partnership with them and continued success as they bring the aircraft online.”

United recently announced it was purchasing 50 next-generation widebody aircraft, including 25 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

Good business sense

According the Southwest, environmental decisions and business practices can only benefit the business.

“Southwest is committed to continuing to lead the industry in emissions reductions through fuel efficiency,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest’s Chairman, President, and CEO. “Efficiency in fuel consumption benefits our Company as well as the environment, and this has been part of our business model since the beginning. As we look to the future, we know climate change remains of vital importance to our industry, our Company, and our Customers, so Southwest works hard every day in every area to be a responsible steward of the environment.”

All of the elements being tested on this Green Plane, when combined, will equate to a weight savings of almost five pounds per seat, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions, along with adding recyclable elements to the cabin interior and reducing waste.

“Southwest is proud to lead the aviation industry in environmental stewardship and honored to be working with these eco-friendly vendors and our partners at Boeing,” Kelly continued. “We are excited to test their forward-thinking products and expect these green products to not only help the environment, but also create a fuel and materials cost saving for Southwest.”

The new plane’s “green” elements include:

• InterfaceFLOR Carpet – a 100% recyclable and carbon neutral carpet that reduces labor and material costs because it is installed in sections, thus eliminating the need for total replacement of areas such as aisles, where Southwest currently uses one single piece of carpet.
• Seat covers – two new products that will be tested on the aircraft seats, offering more than twice the durability than the current leather seats as well as a weight savings of almost two pounds per seat. On one side of the aisle, e-Leather is an eco-friendly, lightweight and scuff resistant man-made alternative to traditional leather. It is made from recycled materials that have been discarded by the leather industry. It is then upgraded utilizing eco-friendly technology, resulting in composition leather, a man-made material. On the other side of the aisle, IZIT Leather, a new breed of premium leather alternative, is an evolutionary step beyond calf skin that offers a lightweight product that is both economical and durable, but with the genuine appearance and touch of luxurious leather.
• Life Vest Pouch – more environmentally friendly because it offers a weight savings of one pound per passenger, replacing the current metal container with lighter durable canvas. The smaller pouch also creates more room under the seat for carry-on items and offers productivity improvements due to design change.
• Foam Fill – A lighter weight fill from Garnier PURtec in the back of the seats that reduces weight while providing increased Customer comfort.
• Passenger Seat Rub Strips – switching from plastic to aluminum will help with durability, which reduces waste, as well as being recyclable.

In addition to the green plane, Southwest also announced the Nov. 1 kickoff of a more robust onboard recycling program, which is a co-mingled system that will allow the airline to capture more recyclable material and divert it from the waste stream. This 18-month process involved team work from all areas of the Company to implement the program on the ground at its Provisioning Bases and re-working of waste collection procedures in the cabin.

“The initiative by the Southwest Airlines Green Team, Facilities Maintenance, Inflight Department, and Provisioning Department was a truly heroic effort; when you serve nearly 68 cities there are often 68 different ways to implement a program,” Kelly says. “We appreciate the hard work of our recycling vendor, Republic Services, and we are excited to take a very effective recycling program and make it even better.”

“Our proprietary carbon emissions calculations provide unmatched accuracy and completeness and are setting the industry standard for measuring airline carbon emissions,” said Shane Hammond, President and CEO, TRX. “As we continue to partner with organizations like Offset Alliance, we further our goals of positively impacting the environment through the deployment of our carbon emissions calculations and technology.”

TRX, Inc. is a technology company that develops and hosts travel software applications. Since launching its Carbon Emissions Calculator, several carbon reduction/offsetting organizations and other green-minded institutions have subscribed to the service including: Nootrol, Carbon Salon and Piece of Green.

The Offset Alliance is the newest to the line-up; a non-partisan organization that assists individuals and businesses achieve carbon reduction goals.

“We surveyed the marketplace and found TRX has by far the most thorough carbon emissions calculations for air travel,” said Daniel Greenson, President and CEO, Offset Alliance. “For Offset Alliance, this means we can tap into a new market we hadn’t previously explored – the travel market. The bottom line is by partnering with TRX, we are able to offset more CO2. The calculations are precise, and they provide the customer with truly meaningful results. We are confident that the decision to work with TRX will really help our business.”

In early 2009, TRX released its carbon emissions developer toolkit. Powered by the company’s open web services platform, the toolkit provides third-party solution developers with direct access to the robust set of calculations required to accurately assess the carbon footprint of air travel by corporations and individuals.

The developer toolkit was made available via a free entry level package, enabling clients to begin using the services with little to no upfront investment.

Recently, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI – an independent, international research institute specializing in sustainable development and environment issues) identified TRX’s carbon emissions calculation methodology as being one of the best currently available in the market today, citing transparency and overall comprehension as key factors.

Also, TRX received the “Best Technology in 2008/2009″ ICARUS Award for Airline Carbon Emission measurement technology from the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM). ITM is the leading professional body for buyers, managers and suppliers of business travel in the UK and Ireland with over 1,000 members from large corporations, government departments and NGOs, SMEs and travel suppliers.

For more information, visit www.TRX.com.

“With the launch of Google Street View on Orbitz.com, we are continuing to progress towards our goal of making Orbitz the best place for travelers to book a hotel,” said Sam Fulton, GVP of retail merchandising for Orbitz Worldwide. “This launch comes on the heels of the introduction of Hotel Price Assurance and Total Price hotel search results, differentiating Orbitz from the competition.”

“We’re excited to see Orbitz implementing the Google Maps API Premier and adding Street View imagery to the hotel booking experience on Orbitz, giving consumers the ability to observe a hotel’s surroundings as if they were there,” said Daniel Chu, Product Manager, Google Enterprise. “We’re glad to see partners like Orbitz bring this type of innovative technology to their millions of customers.”

To access Google Street View on Orbitz, simply select the “Maps & area info” tab on the hotel property page and click the “Street View” link. Any hotel address available for Street View on Google Maps will be available to view on Orbitz.com.

Street View is made available via the Google Maps APIs. Orbitz is implementing Google Maps API Premier, the enterprise-grade version of the Google Maps API with advanced geocoding and support capabilities.

Putting customers first

Google Street View is the most recent example of Orbitz’s strong focus on delivering an unparalleled hotel booking experience to its customers.

Orbitz recently introduced Total Price hotel search results, making it radically easier for consumers to search for hotels. Orbitz is the only major online travel company to show Total Price per night including taxes and fees upfront on the initial search results page. Competitors only show base rate, requiring customers to actually select a hotel before finding out the Total Price.

In May, Orbitz launched Hotel Price Assurance, promising customers the best Orbitz rate for their hotel. Here’s how it works: you book any pre-paid hotel on Orbitz, another Orbitz customer subsequently books the same hotel stay at a lower rate, and Orbitz automatically sends you a check for the difference.

According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, green jobs growth outpaced other job classifications by nearly 250 percent over the last decade, growing 9.1 percent between 1998 and 2007, versus 3.7 percent for the overall job market.

Yet, with all this “promise”, how exactly does someone actually find a “green” job, or at least get in the door for an interview? It looks like job-hunt juggernaut CareerBuilder is answering the call for a one-stop-shop for green jobs online with the launch of its new website, www.goinggreenjobs.com.

The new site aims to make it easy for employers with green jobs to connect with environmentally conscious job seekers – allowing them to post their green, otherwise known as environmentally-focused positions, full-time and part-time jobs by skill sets, enhanced green job titles and categories, and geographic location.

“The focus on green jobs continues to increase year over year as job seekers look for more environmentally conscious career paths and employers make changes to protect the environment,” said Jason Ferrara, vice president of corporate marketing at CareerBuilder.com.

CareerBuilder.com, a global leader in job seeking, is the largest in the U.S. with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 31 million resumes. It works with the world’s top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to talent acquisition. Over 9,000 Web sites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder’s proprietary job search technology on their career sites.

“One-in-ten employers say they have added green jobs in the last 12 months,” continued Ferrara. “Goinggreenjobs.com will enable employers the ability to specifically target their environmentally friendly positions to an audience that is actively seeking employment in the green field.”

So what’s in it for the job seeker? Job seekers will be able to use the site to find information on green job fairs and events, green workplace news and information, as well as advice for everything from writing a green focused resume to connecting with the right green opportunity. Job seekers will be able to post up to five different versions of their resume to increase their visibility to potential employers in a variety of environmental areas.

Not a bad start for the environmental job market. Check out www.goinggreenjobs.com for more info and to post your next job or resume today!

Alaska Airlines estimates the procedures will cut fuel consumption by 2.1 million gallons annually and reduce carbon emissions by 22,000 metric tons, the equivalent of taking 4,100 cars off the road every year. In addition, they will reduce overflight noise exposure for an estimated 750,000 people living within the affected flight corridor.

Testing began on June 16th on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-700 aircraft during a noncommercial flight. Using satellite guidance technology called Required Navigation Performance (RNP), the plane flew a consistent and controlled approach to Sea-Tac with pinpoint accuracy, reducing flight-path length, ground noise and greenhouse-gas emissions, while saving time and fuel.

“These improved flight procedures at Sea-Tac will help Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air minimize the environmental impact of our flying on the communities we serve,” said Gary Beck, Alaska’s vice president of flight operations. “With FAA approval, we hope the procedures will be available to all carriers and gradually integrated into the Seattle air traffic system. This project could also become a blueprint for expanded use of next-generation technology at more U.S. airports.”

Typically, commercial aircraft approach follow a lengthy approach pattern and series of stair-step descents before landing. Using RNP technology and a continuous descent, also called an optimized profile descent (OPD), aircraft can descend from cruise altitude to an airport runway along a shorter, more direct flight path at low power.

“This effort aligns with the Port of Seattle’s commitment to operate the greenest airport in the nation,” said Mark Reis, managing director of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. “With Alaska and Horizon representing nearly half of the daily operations at Sea-Tac, this program not only benefits our regional environment but also helps the airlines to operate more efficiently at Sea-Tac. We are working closely with Alaska, Boeing and the FAA to ensure these benefits are realized by our community as quickly as possible.”

Alaska Airlines is the only major U.S. air carrier with a completely RNP-equipped fleet and fully trained crews. Alaska is also the first airline approved by the FAA to conduct its own RNP flight validation. Horizon Air’s fleet soon will be fully RNP-equipped as well.

RNP and OPD are part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, the FAA’s plan to modernize the National Airspace System through 2025. This initiative will increase airspace capacity and efficiency while improving safety and reducing environmental impacts through the replacement of legacy ground-based equipment with new satellite-based technology and aircraft navigation capabilities.

As part of the initial Alaska Airlines RNP operational approval team, Boeing began installing RNP guidance technology on its aircraft in 1994. Currently all Boeing production airplanes are RNP-capable, and solutions are available to upgrade the in-service fleet. The Boeing Company is continuing this pioneering tradition by working with Alaska Airlines, the FAA and the Port of Seattle in implementing RNP solutions and the Greener Skies program for Sea-Tac.

“Boeing is committed to working with Alaska Airlines and the Port of Seattle to increase efficiency in the way their airplanes approach and depart from Sea-Tac and other airports across the country,” said Per Noren, director of Airport Infrastructure for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Using these advanced technology solutions, airlines around the world can save hundreds of pounds of fuel per flight, which is a significant step toward further reducing emissions from aviation.”

Planning and testing of the procedures will continue through the remainder of the year. They will be integrated into Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air’s commercial operations at Sea-Tac pending FAA approval, which the airlines hope to obtain in 2010.

Using GPS technology, originally scored background music, professional sound effects, and voice narration of the highest cinematic quality, the tour takes visitors on a one-hour riding adventure that captivates with ghost stories and paranormal phenomena on a riding tour experience that intertwines with St. Augustine’s rich history and magnificent architectural ambiance.

St. Augustine Pedicab’s mission is to provide safe, fun, and convenient transportation throughout downtown St. Augustine while keeping the city, its residents, tourists, and the environment in mind.

“We are excited about the opportunity to team up and deliver innovative and rich tour experiences that offer visitors to St. Augustine compelling stories and outstanding audio theatre experiences,” said Jeff Tabor, President and CEO, SAGPS Adventure Tours. “I envision that this tour will add to our success that we are already having here with the Shivers and Awe walking tour.”

St. Augustine Pedicab provides a comfortable, safe, and environmentally friendly way to see St. Augustine. The bicycle cab is equipped with surround-sound stereo speakers, leather seats, and a bike “cabbie” that is at their service.

“I am very excited about working with ‘Shivers and Awe’ Ghost Tours. I believe that integrating our Pedicab services will add a unique element to the tour that allows the customer to explore on their own while also enjoying the comfort and convenience of riding in the Pedicab”, said Josh Thompson, Owner of St. Augustine Pedicab

Tours trigger content automatically around St. Augustine’s paranormal sites, providing location-based experiences on a one hour tour route that is available in Spanish as well as English.

“We are thrilled to launch this tour guide system in St. Augustine,” said Jonathan Stanley, President and CEO of AudioConexus Inc. “We worked closely with SAGPS Adventure Tours to deliver fun and entertaining experiences, presenting a series of ghost stories that turned me into a believer. We’re very excited about our continued success with SAGPS Tour Adventures and being a part of entertaining and educational stories for visitors seeking a whole new way to experience the paranormal phenomenon of St. Augustine.”

For more information, visit www.sagpstours.com.

This annual award is one in six categories recognizing outstanding hotel programs throughout the country.

“At Sheraton Seattle, we have spent the last few years remodeling our hotel to ensure that it’s structurally a leader in environmental stewardship,” said Matthieu Van Der Peet, general manager of the Sheraton Seattle.

“During this time we have also created a Green Team to promote green programming within the hotel to encourage our staff and guests to join us in protecting the environment. We are honored to be the largest hotel to receive this esteemed award from AH&LA and look forward to continuing our efforts to protect our environment.”

Building upon a long-standing history of supporting environmentally friendly initiatives, the Sheraton Seattle was an early adopter of a voluntary recycling program in 1993 and over the years has implemented a number of programs and enhancements that have furthered their environmental conservation.

In 2008, the Sheraton Seattle created a comprehensive Green Strategy, which focused on three major areas: building infrastructure and physical enhancements; increasing associate awareness and involvement; and guest participation.

Through these initiatives the Sheraton Seattle has been able to reduce their energy index by more than 20% in 2008. They have also been able to recycle over 24,000 pounds, or 12 tons, of materials per month.

Green Team promotions

Guests are given the option to go green through the “You Tidy We Treat Program” where guests can opt out of daily linen and towel replacement and be rewarded for their green efforts with a $5 gift certificate or 500 Starwood points for each day they opt-out. Also, all guest rooms are cleaned with approved green chemicals which are dispensed through a bag to reduce packaging, shipping and storing of the products.

In the first two months of this program, over 3,000 guests participated and the Sheraton was able to increase bookings at the hotel specifically because of this program.

Taking the green approach even further, all Sheraton Seattle employees are invited to participate in environmentally-focused charitable organizations and community events, while a 25% public transportation subsidy helps defray the cost of public transportation for associates. The Green Team is also in the final steps of creating a “compost-only” associate cafeteria where all food waste and debris from meals are 100% compostable.

Energy and water conservation at the hotel includes the installation of the latest hot water heating technology, the modular advance concept (MAC) system, which saves over 4,800 Kwh of electricity annually. All light bulbs have also been changed to energy efficient bulbs, and motion-sensor lights were added to meeting spaces. Low flow toilets, showerheads and sink aerators have also been added to guest rooms.

On a global level, throughout the past year the Sheraton Seattle has participated in such green efforts as joining tens of millions of citizens throughout the world in the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour and cleaning up the local Puget Sound waterways.

For more information on the AH&LA Stars of the Industry program, along with a complete list of 2009 winners, please visit www.ahla.com/stars.

Fairmont’s new Green IT works to address its technology infrastructure and information technology (IT) operations. It includes the introduction of a workstation power down schedule, electronic waste diversion in markets where programs exist and the development of donation standards aligning with qualified and respected recycling companies and charities.

Powering down to power up

Green IT is the latest component of the Fairmont award winning Green Partnership program – a program started in 1990 that focuses on minimizing the impact of hotel operations on the environment -  and will be rolled out property-wide throughout 2009 with full implementation expected by the end of the year.

“Whether it’s technology, environmental sustainability, or any other aspect of the hotel environment, Fairmont continues to roll out pioneering programs and services that are reflective of our vision: to be a true leader in the global hospitality industry,” says Vineet Gupta, Fairmont’s senior vice president, technology.

”With technology still evolving rapidly and e-waste on the rise, this is an area where we can make a tangible impact in addition to lowering our overall CO2 footprint. Furthermore, our industry-leading environmental practices are the benchmark by which many other hotel companies measure against, so we’re pleased to expand our green programming into another distinct area of our business.”

The hotel company is also optimizing purchasing efficiencies, including crafting a green procurement policy to ensure the brand uses technology products that are either EPA Energy Star or Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-rated as well as services that address Extended Product Responsibility (EPR) programs.
In support of the new Green IT initiative, power settings on all Fairmont workstations and laptops, which are centrally managed by the brand, will be set to automatically power down after one hour of inactivity. By adopting this power management principle, Fairmont expects to reduce its energy consumption by 2,692,683 KwH per year, resulting in a savings of 1,356 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of avoiding the burning of 3,155 barrels of oil annually.

Green IT is the latest piece of environmental news from the company following a March announcement in which Fairmont became a member of WWF’s Climate Savers Program and pledged to proactively cut its overall carbon emissions by 20% below 2006 levels by 2013.

For more information on Fairmont’s Green Partnership program, visit www.fairmont.com/environment.

TRX, Inc., a leader in travel technology and data services, is delivering the new service to be used by a wide cross-section of companies ranging from carbon offsetters and other green start-ups to search engines, travel websites, GDSs, air carriers, and traditional travel agencies looking to provide users with insight into airline carbon emissions.

“Our proprietary carbon emissions calculator provides unmatched accuracy and completeness and is setting the industry standard for measuring airline carbon emissions,” said Shane Hammond, President and CEO, TRX. “It is our belief that with a trusted standard in place more individuals and companies will be in a position to reliably implement travel-related carbon emission reduction programs.”

TRX recently received the “Best Technology in 2008/2009″ ICARUS Award for Airline Carbon Emission measurement technology from the Institute of Travel and Meetings (ITM), a professional body for buyers, managers and suppliers of business travel in the UK and Ireland with over 1,000 members from large corporations, government departments and NGOs, SMEs and travel suppliers.

Several leading carbon offset firms currently access TRX’s calculations through the Carbon Emissions Developer Toolkit to power carbon offsetting programs and content websites.

“Travelingreen selected TRX’s airline CO2 calculator because of the depth, quality, relevancy and timeliness of the information available,” said Karen Morgan, Managing Director of Travelingreen. “No other calculation tool provides such rich data, as recognized by the Stockholm Institute and other independent authorities. Additionally, the quality and responsiveness of the TRX technical support is unsurpassed. For all these reasons, we selected TRX’s offering to be an integral component of our web site, www.travelingreen.net and our service-based CO2 measurement offerings to enterprise clients.”

“We chose to utilize the TRX Carbon Emissions calculations based on the level of depth and accuracy of the services,” said Terrapass CEO, Erik Blachford. “TRX calculation methodology uses more relevant variables than any other available carbon calculator, which is a perfect fit with the Terrapass model and philosophy of providing the most accurate information to our clients. In addition, the level of expertise and support provided by TRX has been outstanding.”

Toolkit users now have access to a free level of service providing the ability to track and evaluate a set number of travel transactions. Additional levels of service are available offering increased transactional usage and development support.

For more information, visit www.trx.com.

These two initiatives are just the latest of eco-friendly practices of the new hotel. The property has already implemented a comprehensive banquet recycling program, a “So Clear” water filtration system to purify water and reduce waste and an internal “Green Team” that regularly meets to proactively identify ways in which the hotel can be more sustainable.

“In this day and age, it is crucial for all companies to be good corporate citizens. Since well before the hotel opened, we have been identifying ways we can reduce our carbon footprint while also operating as a first-class hotel,” said Leo Percopo, general manager of the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.

Local, sustainable food growing for guests

The seasonal rooftop garden has been planted and is currently growing chilies, okra, mint, peppers and a variety of herbs which will be incorporated into dishes served in District American Kitchen and Wine Bar, the restaurant located on the bottom floor of the hotel. Many of the additional produce items come from Singh Farms, a local grower.

District will also return compostable items, such as fruit and vegetable peelings, to Singh Farms. The compost can then be used by the farm to aid in the growing of new produce, continuing a sustainable cycle.

Frank Belosic, executive chef at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, has been working closely with Singh Farms throughout the last several months. “We want this to be a viable garden that can continue to produce vegetables and herbs to be used in our dishes,” said Belosic. “We worked closely with Singh Farms to look at all angles and figure out what will work best to produce the freshest and most tasteful items possible while also making this garden sustainable.”

Committing to glowing green

The hotel’s commitment to eventually utilize the most energy efficient lighting possible calls for the installation of over 24,500 CFL or LED light bulbs to yield a tremendous reduction on energy consumption. CFL light bulbs in all of the 1,000 guestrooms will consume only 24% of the electricity of a hotel that does not utilize CFL bulbs – a savings that would power approximately 31 U.S. households per year.

Furthermore, because the lifespan of CFL bulbs is 8,000 hours compared to less than 1,000 hours with standard incandescent bulbs, the hotel reduces the quantity of light bulbs sent to the landfill by 800%.

While the utilization of energy-saving CFL lighting is currently limited in most applications that require dimmable lighting, the hotel’s engineering team is working closely with Philips Electronics and other vendors to determine possible CFL or LED technology that can work in these settings. Once a potential bulb is identified, it is sent to RCI/Unison Lighting for extensive testing prior to application in the property. For example, in December, a CFL bulb was certified by RCI/Unison for a can light fixture utilized in the public areas, and the hotel will be utilizing this bulb moving forward.

Green Team hard at work

The hotel’s internal “Green Team” is responsible for identifying, implementing and training fellow associates on new sustainable practices, which included the roll-out of digital menus which are now available in all catering settings. In addition, the hotel works with other community partners such as “Waste Not” to donate unused items rather than send them directly to a landfill.

The team has also developed a comprehensive recycling program that extends throughout the entire hotel. Guests can recycle in their rooms, associates can recycle in their offices and meeting planners can customize plans and amenities to reduce waste.

For more, visit www.Sheraton.com/PhoenixDowntown.

The test was conducted during a normal, scheduled flight from Paris to Miami, using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

AIRE is the first large-scale environmental initiative bringing together aviation players from both sides of the Atlantic, with partners including the FAA, the European Commission, Boeing, Airbus, various air navigation service providers and a number of airlines.

“It is critical that the aviation industry works with our air traffic control partners to demonstrate the benefits of NextGen technology today,” said Bob Reding, American’s Executive Vice President – Operations. “By implementing this technology as quickly as possible, we can make real and meaningful strides to reduce our impact on the environment, increase system capacity and reduce air traffic delays.”

AIRE was designed to speed up the application of new technologies and operational procedures that can have a direct impact on reducing emissions and noise pollution, as well as conserving fuel. Part of the project includes gate-to-gate flight demonstrations to test the benefits of technologies that will be used with the FAA’s NextGen air traffic management system.

The American Airlines flight was expected to conduct several fuel conservation measures, including single-engine taxi on departure and arrival, continuous climb out and descent, optimized routing over water and a ‘tailored arrival’. The carrier says that several of these procedures are already key elements of its ongoing Fuel Smart fuel conservation programme. American says it aims to save 120 million gallons of jet fuel this year and reduce its carbon emissions by 2.5 billion pounds (1.13 million tonnes), up from 110 million gallons and 2.3 billion pounds in 2008.

Post-flight data analysis by the FAA, European Commission and the airline will determine the fuel and carbon savings gained on the demonstration flight. The FAA and American will then conduct a two-month trial in Miami to continue testing the next-generation technology and procedures.

For more information, check out: American Airlines – Fuel Smart.

During the 4th eLearning Africa Conference in Senegal, environmental representatives at a UNEP seminar agreed to roles and responsibilities in establishing and African Environmental eLearning Network to share expertise, best practices and eLearning content.

The network, which will be made up of a number of sub-regional hubs and national eLearning centers, will work to build strategies and action plans to mainstream technology supported learning to support their work in the areas of training, education and awareness raising.

The seminar was convened in response to a decision endorsed by the 12th session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Johannesburg last year in which the environment ministers called for a wide range of actions to strengthen environmental education programs and apply technology supported learning.

Responding to environmental neccessity

Earlier this year, a survey by UNEP showed that over 70% of African institutions dealing with environmental matters do not have any strategy in place to utilixe modern information and communication technologies to support their education, training and outreach activities.

The survey also showed a sore need for more networking amongst institutions to address priority environmental issues.

The UNEP seminar endorsed a set of key actions in the areas of environmental education, technology supported and partnerships to develop the first phase of the pan-Africa network over the next year and report on progress made to the 13th session of AMCEN in Bamako, Mali in 2010.

“The African Environmental eLearning Network provides an ideal framework to foster both North-South and South-South collaboration in the use of ICT to support education, training and outreach on priority environmental issues across Africa,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

“UNEP must act as a catalyst in providing technology support to our partners in African and foster cooperation between the education and environment sectors”.

Having attracted 1,315 eLearning users this year, including newcomers and experts from 85 countries, eLearning Africa has established itself as possibly the most comprehensive conference on ICT for development, education and training on the Continent – strengthening its mission of bringing people together who are actively engaged in education and in the implementation of learning technologies in schools, universities, corporate training as well as in education in the public sector.

Participants are high-level decision-makers such as Ministers of Education, representatives from government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), development agencies and international organizations, senior executives from businesses, as well as practitioners from all fields of education.

For more information, visit http://hqweb.unep.org/mentor/africa/.

In response to the daunting tasks ahead, the Green Research Council, a research and advocacy group in green technology, environmental sustainability and energy conservation issues, has released its second and updated edition of the Green Stimulus Guide – a manual of sorts that explains exactly how Obama’s recovery plan helps pave the way for green business as well as personal opportunities throughout the country, providing an information resource specific to green building, clean energy and energy efficiency opportunities within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The Green Stimulus Guide provides “how to” instructions in great detail on grants, laws and funding opportunities, state and federal agencies, and general resources for success with the ARRA, covering just about everything progressively-mided professionals need.

Who needs this?

The guide is a must-read for eco-enthusiasts, obviously, but even more importantly for building owners, contractors, consultants, architects, engineers and energy service companies that are lookign to further development in the eco-industry. It outlines opportunities, tips and resources state-by-state and sector-by-sector that are “accessible” through the ARRA.

The Green Research Council’s team of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professionals – a team with extensive professional experience and a deep knowledge base in green buildings, energy efficiency and sustainability – sifted through extensive government documents and useful articles while consulting with various industry experts and government officials in order to accurately detail how to apply for grants, loans and other funding opportunities, specific green initiatives in weatherization, energy retrofits, smart grids and green buildings, and other useful tools and resources.

“This guide is the best and only resource I know about that gives you everything you need to know for Green Stimulus Opportunities.” Paul Nichols, AIA Architect, Iowa City.

To learn more and download the guide, visit www.greenstimulusguide.com.

The app is a follow-up to the company’s prior tool, twiddlerSF – a mobile travel guide specifically for San Francisco. In contrast, the new Super twiddler iPhone app covers 27 major cities across the U.S. and includes enhances social features that let travelers share their travel experiences with friends and contacts.

How does this crazy thing work? Does it read my mind?

Not so much, but not so far-fetched either. Although, with the rate of development for iPhone travel apps soaring through the roof, I would not be surprised for this feature to be released in version 2.

For the time being, hower, a traveler wielding this gem of a travel companion need only to choose from some basic criteria of how they are feeling, what they are looking for, how much free time they have, etc., and Super twiddler intelligently suggests a recommended and current activity, place or event that fits within the criteria and timeframe.

For instance, a traveler can select "thirsty" (just one of 15 moods to choose from), select their timeframe and locale, and POOF! Super twiddler does the rest. The app also integrates Google Maps for directions and Yelp for user reviews.

Once results are displayed, they can then be emailed to friends and contacts.

"The twiddler series was built to address the question, ‘What can I do right here, right now?’," said Christen Duong, CEO and founder of thumbble. "It’s like a concierge, but for repeat travelers and locals. And because it is personalized based on a user’s mood and how much time they have, it’s perfect for people on the move – all in one fun little game-like app."

Super twiddler iseems to be a very promising, paperless travel guide for anyone interested in exploring the unknown or just interestedd in the local "pulse" of their destination.

The Super twiddler application is now available at the iPhone app store for $4.99.

For more information, visit www.thumbble.com .

Already dubbed the “High Tech Worldwide Woodstock,” the history making event applies multi-media Internet technologies to fully engage audiences interactively.

Hosted in over a dozen countries simultaneously from Japan to Jerusalem, LIVE H2O is history’s first grassroots organized environmental initiative engaging audiences interactively over the Internet using HD video broadcasting technology to raise awareness about growing concerns about shortages of the “Universal Solvent.”

Southern California alone hosts four venues to accommodate the rising tide of celebrities and Grammy Award winners volunteering to perform during the 72-hour celebration. Ten broadcasting channels initially planned have been doubled this week to support the growing international demand for LIVEH2O.tv programming. In response, LIVEH2O.org has created LIVEH2O.tv for people everywhere to be “edutained” interactively online.

Mixing science, sound and consciousness

“LIVE H2O is where science meets consciousness,” explains Sheri Thomas, a Los Angeles marketing executive. “The plan includes a vibrational experiment using music, water, and positive intention.”

Special instrument tunings based on newly emerging “hydrosonic” science and mathematical proofs fundamental to physics and theology, will be used to advance remedial strategies to planet wide urgencies.

More than 70 sponsors have joined to help fund and promote the event, including OxySilver.com, a revolutionary “green” alternative to risky vaccinations and antibiotics increasingly polluting drinking water worldwide.

For more information go to: www.LIVEH2O.org.