By: Nathan Brown

The stresses of daily life are growing increasingly pervasive and it seems harder and harder to find time for yourself and your family. Doesn't a week-long trip to the tropics sound refreshing? I'll say!

Unfortunately, vacation traveling is a major contributor to global warming because it is very energy-intensive (read: it burns a lot of fossil fuel). The Main Problem With The Hospitality Industry Is It Encourages People To Travel By Burning Fossil Fuels

Most people have, at some level, an innate desire for adventure. By creating an allure of locations that are often far-off, the hospitality industry capitalizes on that feature of your psyche. Indeed, the hotel industry in the US alone posted a profit of $16.7 billion in 2004 according to Smith Travel Research.

For mother earth, the downside of this manipulation is that getting to these enticing locales in the speed and comfort expected by most Americans requires the burning of fossil fuels on a tremendous magnitude. The Main Issue Isn't the Hospitality Industry, It Is Fossil Fuel-Based Travel

With the recent renewed interest in global warming and heightened concern for environmental degradation and social justice, many people have started to pay attention to the impact of the hospitality industry on the environment and on local peoples. As a result there has emerged a new sector of the hospitality industry known as "eco tourism" or "green travel". Eco-tourism is defined by the Global Development Research Center as "responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and sustains the livelihood of local people".

While ecotourism may look like a positive step, what this approach fails to address is what many scientists consider the biggest challenge modern humanity will face: global warming. The scientific community has reached almost unanimous consent that the current warming of the earth is being helped along by us humans whose main contribution is the burning of fossil fuels which began around the time of the industrial revolution.

While eco-tourism provides some benefits to the local ecosystems and communities which its clients patronize, it fails to combat the tremendous amount of fossil fuels that are consumed in delivering said clients to and from those locations. If You Want To Help Prevent Global Warming I Suggest You Stop Focusing On The Hospitality Industry And Turn Your Attention To Vacationing Without Burning Fossil Fuels!

Most people do not have a clear understanding of how the earth's atmosphere functions. Since it's hard to observe changes in the atmosphere with the naked eye, you wouldn't be likely to connect the act of taking a long vacation with the occurrence of a natural disaster. But, unfortunately, there is a connection through the carbon dioxide emitted from the jet's engine.

In fact, numerous consequences are expected as a result of the global warming caused by the burning of fossil fuels, a few of which include: more extreme hurricanes, greater flooding (which may cause desertification), landslides, loss of habitat and species extinction, water scarcity, and the spread of disease. Furthermore, some of the effects of global warming will contribute to further climate change, in what is known as a positive feedback cycle.

When framed in this light, you may begin to change how you feel about burning fossil fuels for amusement. Don't despair though! The pundits would have you think otherwise, but making ecological choices doesn't have to be an exercise of self-deprivation. How you ask? Simple, the next time you are planning a vacation focus your attention on reducing the total number of miles that you travel.

Traveling is bound to be linked to some form of fossil-fuel based transportation, even though it may be greatly reduced. To address this you can travel using methods that contribute less to global warming. Traveling by train is one such choice that results in far less fossil fuel consumption.

In some cases, it may seem like too much of a hassle to avoid driving, but remember: you can still help stop global warming by learning how to drive as efficiently as possible. If you want to set an outstanding example, choose a vacation that can be enjoyed while using bicycles as a primary means of transportation.

You may feel intimidated by the climate crisis that we are facing, but you can create a positive feedback loop yourself by making choices that reflect your desire to help stop global warming, even while you vacation. This can have a profound effect in the sense that it is likely to draw others' attention to the fact that you are making a conscious choice.