Matt Courtland, CEO of The Natural Strategy, has compiled a list of the sustainability statements of the major hotel chains in a post at Environmental Leader. Among the things that I learned was that Fairmont was among one of the earliest official adopters of concern for the planet among hoteliers and the foundations of Kimpton’s efforts were laid 30 years ago.

This list is just a beginning but it an excellent start both for seeing what specific companies are doing and also to further your understanding of what it takes to be green in the hospitality industry. Those of us who travel for business frequently have larger-than-average carbon footprints by definition but there are concrete steps we can take to minimize our impact.

Do you base your travel decisions on the sustainability policies of the companies you frequent while traveling on business (and we must acknowledge that sustainability often incorporates economic and social impact along with environmental efforts)? Does your company let you? Which are your favorites airlines, hotels, restaurants, and the like in this regard?

As reported on NPR:

“Travelers input the number of miles their trip will cover, how long it will take and the number of passengers they plan to buy offsets for.

For example, for a 6,000-mile-long, 12 hour flight, the carbon offset cost would be about $34.34 for one traveler. The price varies from a few dollars for a short West Coast flight to as much as $70 for an international trip.”

I think that this is a great idea — especially if forward-thinking companies allow business travelers to submit the receipt for reimbursement. It would be an easy way for companies of all sizes to work toward more green travel without having to implement a complicated corporate initiative.

Of course the offsets need to be transparent so that you know what you are buying and how much of the fee goes to overhead and administrative costs. Otherwise it could be a green-washing gimmick. For now, I’ll give SFO the benefit of the doubt on that front and kudos for undertaking the pilot.

What’s your experience with carbon offsets? Worth it or just hype? Do you use an on-line service? a corporate plan? Does the airport kiosk appeal?

The photo is from www.npr.org where it appeared without photo credit.

As biking has become more popular, bike rentals have become more available at a wide range of destinations. A simple Web search will likely turn up options and for just a few dollars you can get a glimpse of the city you are visiting that isn’t possible any other way. Most rental agencies will offer you a helmet and lock as part of the rental.

Some hotels are beginning to offer bicycles as a service to their guests. Both the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, MA and the Liberty Hotel in Boston have a mini-fleet ready for the road. The Chic Cyclists blog reports that in addition to these, Element — the LEED certified Starwood offering, the James Chicago, and the Bowery NYC have two-wheelers on hand.

One of the great advantages of bike riding on a business trip is that you don’t have to bring a lot of gear. In fact, you can ride in business attire (as you’ll observe many commuters doing in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and other European cities — and more and more often in the U.S.). You simply moderate your speed so that you don’t build up a sweat. Of course that’s easiest in a flat city.

On my recent ride in San Francisco , part of a Saturday Night Stayover, I was happy that the ferry was an option for the ride back as the ride back up to the bridge is one serious hill (and, truth be told, I was returning with four bottles of wine that added to my ballast:) .

Have you pedalled your way across town while on a business trip? Have a business biking story to share? Leave a comment below.

I was happy to find a Kimpton hotel, The Argonaut, there and it was quite satisfactory. It is in an old cannery building with large wooden beams that give it a vintage industrial feel. The decor is a bit sailor kitsch but it was comfortable overall. As a member of Kimpton InTouch (their frequent guest program), I had free Wifi during my stay — the perfect amenity for any business trip. Their restaurant, The Blue Mermaid, was a bit bright but offered a fabulous Dungeness crab and corn chowder and the bar staff was friendly and helpful. It’s a good option for dining solo if you need one.

The real find, also in the hotel building but not otherwise linked to the hotel, was The Winery Collective tasting room. I don’t generally go for tasting rooms as I find the wines are usually not that special and the staff not particularly knowledgeable. The Winery Collective was just the opposite: some lovely small production wines from throughout California such as Sol Rouge and Skylark and a staff full of information without being overbearing about it. I had the Red Reserve flight one evening and the All Whites flight the next. Both were delightful.

When venturing a bit further afield for evening dining, I was pleased to find Luella on Russian Hill. It is a modern neighborhood restaurant (the kind that always makes me want to live in the neighborhood) with house made pasta, intriguing salads (mine was grilled peach and ricotta), and a nice list of wines by the glass. It had an airy, open feel that was quite welcoming to me as a solo diner.  It would also be a great setting for a quiet client dinner. If you are brave enough to walk up from Fisherman’s Wharf, take Larkin for a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge and then cut back over to Hyde.

I also recommend The Plant Cafe Organic at Pier 3 on the Embarcadero. This is a small organic restaurant just a few blocks from ferry Terminal 1 with its more renowned restaurants. However, the Pier 1 eateries settle down shortly after the evening commute. The Plant is not as large and so feels cozier even when not overly crowded. The oysters were delicate and flavorful; the pasta with shrimp and herbs a light and satisfying treat.

Finally, at Fort Mason Center itself check out Greens, a haute veggie eatery featuring the creations of chef Annie Somerville as you look out over the marina toward the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a bit out of the way but well worth the trip. If you don’t mind the walk, you can head along the water by the recently restored aquatic park — an art deco wonder with stellar tile work (pictured above) — at the San Francisco National Historic Park and then up over the hill in Fort Mason Park and down to Fort Mason Center.

P.S. I can’t forget to give some Fog City sweet treat shout outs: I tried (and loved) LaLoo’s goat’s milk ice cream — the founder attended the BeDo event; indulged in sumptuous house-made chocolates from Recchiuti at the Ferry Building Marketplace; and then I dipped myself in chocolate once again with XOX Truffles for the plane ride home (citron and champagne were my two faves).

Luckily, there’s always someone ready to jump into the restaurant business. New entries (at least new to me) worth a visit are Cafe du Parc, Art & Soul, and Jaleo. Cafe du Parc makes up for the loss of Les Halles when you have the urge for steak frites, Art & Soul offers an inspired take on Southern cooking with local ingredients, and Jaleo is fit for a virtual trip to Spain with an especially nice list of Spanish wines by the glass.

As I was in town over the weekend and on my own, I decided to try something a bit more casual. On the advice of a friend-of-a-friend I headed to Busboys & Poets. This bar-cum-restaurant-cum-bookstore- cum-fair trade market, actually a small chain of three establishments, has ambition: They offer poetry readings, political discussions, and art happenings. They are proudly progressive and committed to being a sustainable business.

The neighborhood alone promised an interesting. The intersection of 5th & K, not far from Chinatown and the Verizon Center, is home to a big, mostly empty parking lot, a liquor store with metal grating over the windows, and Louis the Rogue’s Go-go Lounge.  If Dashiell Hammett had written in Washington, this would have been his corner.

The bar at Busboys is airy with an open ceiling to the second floor dining area. There was enough light to read, essential when I’m dining alone, without being garishly bright. Things started slowly as the barkeeps strove to raise not making eye contact to an art form. I finally secured a glass of Malbec. It was passable: certainly drinkable but I didn’t bother making note of the name. I started with the bruschetta with fresh basil. It was actually a flat bread pizza crust with a mound of chopped tomatoes, the basil mere flecks of green.  Oh well, I thought. Not every night can be a hit.

The room filled as I ate my meal. I’d come early for a Saturday night and it was clear that the scene would heat up in the hours ahead. The crowd seemed animated and friendly. I imagined this could be quite the neighborhood hangout if only the food was better.

Then came my crab cake entree. Served with crab grits and julienned vegetables, the crab cakes were sublime. The crab was moist and plentiful. There was enough spice to tingle the taste buds without overpowering the crab. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, the grits the perfect texture to stand up to the crab.

I won’t be adding Busboys to our Washington city page until I add a “dining alone” section — this is not a place to take a client unless you are pretty friendly — and the kitchen steps it up a notch on the appetizers. I’d welcome my fellow Nomads to stop by and try more of the menu. The downside of eating alone is that you can’t taste a wide range of offerings.

The highlight of the non-work portion of the trip was a visit to the Newseum. This showcase for the news media is interactive, informative, and fun. I don’t recommend it for a short visit as it has a $20 admission fee but if you have a couple of hours you are looking to fill, a visit is well worth it.

Have you been to DC lately? We’d love to hear about your experience.

Sharing a ride is less expensive, more convenient, and reduces your carbon footprint.

What is your experience? Where do you opt for public transportation and where do you hail a cab (or book a limo)? More important, what advice would you give to transportation planners to improve the cit-to-airport trip?

Comparisons like these are difficult to understand (and difficult to do, I’m sure) and as with all studies one must look at both the methodology and the motivations of the funders.

This is a large country and so few people are likely to cross it by train — though I did circumnavigate the country by train once and found it quite comfortable once one got west of Chicago. The real comparisons come in travel between Boston and New York, New York and Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the like. I’m a former Shuttle rat but now I always take the Amtrak Acela to New York from Boston as doing so eliminates the need to drive to the airport, sit around after going through security (is my Dunkin’ Donuts purchase included in the plane vs. train comparison?), and get a taxi from LGA to Manhattan at the other end. The time traveling is more productive than flying and, in total, is comparable when one factors in the driving to/from airports. The same can be said of the Eurostar between London and Paris.

I sincerely hope that we get high speed rail in the U.S. sometime soon. It is far overdue. In the meantime, I remain convinced that trains are the more environmentally responsible choice. What are your thoughts and experiences?

Travel & Leisure magazine has compiled a list of top green hotels. While many of these are leisure rather than business properties, which would normally keep the list outside of the purview of Executive Nomad, we take our examples of sustainability where we can find them.

Do you factor environmentalism into your lodging choices (or travel in general)? If so, what kinds of certification means the most to your choice? Is being environmentally responsible simple “table stakes” for a hotel chain or can one achieve competitive advantage through sustainable practices?

That moon, and the desire to share it, was the quintessential Executive Nomad moment: finding something of beauty and interest in the midst of an otherwise mundane business travel experience. The purpose of Executive Nomad is to enable all of us to enjoy an intense present rather than always worrying about analyzing last month’s sales or forecasting next year’s expenses. It is too easy to slide in the iPod ear buds and whip out the BlackBerry getting lost in our own e-mail with  soundtrack as we shuttle from meeting to meeting. We want to bring color and texture to what otherwise can be a blurry, beige experience.

It seems trite to say gather ye rosebuds while ye may but each day is an irreplaceable experience. We hope to provide some of the resources you can use to find moments of enjoyment no matter how hectic your schedule. And we want to give you a place to shout out and share. There is no quiet car at Executive Nomad.

The New York Times‘ Mark Bittman has a plan in his new book, Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating. In short, Bittman’s plan is to eat like a vegan until 6 at night and then do whatever you want.  That means oatmeal instead of eggs and bacon at breakfast, perhaps a rice and bean burrito (no cheese) at lunch, etc. Not easy, but Bittman lost 35 lbs. in short order and cut both his cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

The good thing about Bittman is that he isn’t doctrinaire. The plan he used worked for him; he simply advocates thinking about food choices more consciously so that you can find a plan that works for you. Eat less meat and dairy, make your diet more plant-centric — that is the core principle.

The other benefit of Bittman’s approach is that reducing meat consumption actually helps the environment. Commerical meat production is second only to transportation as a source of greenhouse gasses in the U.S.

Hear a lively interview with Bittman with Tom Ashbrook on The Connection. You can see him addressing the TED Conference on YouTube.  We also enjoy his blog.