Salt Lake City is not the first city I’ve visited through my work at NativeEnergy where localized pollution has made for an uncomfortable visit. It serves as a potent reminder of the reason I’m there.

In 2010, Chevrolet announced that they were embarking on their Carbon Reduction Initiative, an effort to invest $40 million in carbon offset projects across the country with the goal of reducing up to 8 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions. The program includes wind, landfill-gas-to-energy, solar, efficiency, and conservation projects.   

During the first week of November, I traveled to the bayou and participated in helping to restore Louisiana’s coastal wetlands with In Good Company. The organization is a collaboration of like-minded businesses—such as Clif Bar & Company, Annie’s Homegrown, EILEEN FISHER, King Arthur Flour, and Seventh Generation— that make a commitment to community service. Every year, these values-driven companies join together to make a difference through hands-on action and volunteerism, bringing awareness to important issues and communities in need.

Memorable moments abounded at Sustainable Brands 2012 in San Diego about a month ago. The gathering involved more than 1,000 people, many representatives of the companies working most diligently to integrate environmentally and socially mindful practices into their daily business operations.

Do you love to travel but worry about the environmental effects of tourism? Do you want to give back to the communities that you visit? Our partner, Sierra Club Outings, offers hundreds of conservation-based vacations in the U.S. and around the globe.