Faster Cars and Smellier Air

There is an article in this month’s AAA World about environmentally-conscious tourism.

AAA World, for all of you living in countries where the predominant form of transportation is hansom cab or catenary, is the “official publication of the Metro Washington and Virginia Regions” of the American Automobile Association. It periodically enlightens us with profound pieces like AAA’s Best-Kept Secret: We Sell Insurance and West Virginia: They’ve Paid Us to Tell You to Visit. We throw out the magazine upon receiving it.

Ordinarily, I would let this go. I’m sure the author had good intentions. I have on occasion offered energy-saving tips on my own website. But Shani assures me that targeted diatribes are exactly the kind of thing people want to read in the blogs, so here goes.

The article begins

TREE-HUGGERS aren’t the only ones trying to tread lightly on the environment while traveling these days.

Impressively, the author has already alienated her entire target audience. She goes on to suggest

Choose an environmentally conscious airline (ask about policies)

Hello? Transcontinental Monopoly Airlines? Does your company have environmentally conscious policies? They do? Great!

Don’t buy souvenirs made from endangered species

Thank you for heroicly exposing the heretofore unknown, hidden environmental cost of souvenirs made from endangered species.

Here are some of my own Earth-friendly travel tips for my fellow auto club members:

1. Don’t travel in the first place, or if you must:
2. Stop driving everywhere and try walking for a change.