I've taken considerable measures to conserve energy at home, but am often on the road for business. How can I stay green when I travel?

There are lots of ways to stay green when you travel. Start by trying to schedule as many appointments into one trip as possible. The energy savings in having to go there and back just once-rather than there and back and there again and back again-can be enormous.

The form of transportation you choose also has a significant environmental impact. Try to take public transportation, like a train or bus, whenever you can. The typical bus gets five and half times better gas mileage than a commercial jet. Even driving by yourself is more fuel-efficient than flying.

Another place to conserve energy when you travel is at hotels. Many people forget to take even the simplest conservation steps when they're in a hotel, like shutting off the lights. When you leave your room, make sure to turn off the lights, television and radio. You should also figure out how to turn down the heat or air-conditioning.

One easy way to save electricity and water is to let the front desk know that it's not necessary to change your sheets and towels every day. Beyond that, ask the manager if the hotel has any recycling programs in place, and let them know that, as a guest, you're willing to participate in some conservation efforts.

The best advice when on the road is to use some common sense. If you can't rent a hybrid car when you reach your destination, you may be able take public transportation, split a cab or arrange a one-day carpool. You probably shouldn't be weather-stripping the hotel windows, but you're usually welcome to adjust the thermostat.

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