Staying green on vacation doesn’t mean spotting a single fern in the hotel foyer or that the facilities are a long walk a way and lit by flashlights. Here are five of the best eco-resorts in the United States that are luxurious to their guests and to the planet.

1. The Gaia Napa Valley Hotel

“Gaia” means “Mother Earth” in Greek, so it’s fitting that this hotel was the world’s first building to be certified gold in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The United States Green Building Council awards LEED certification to buildings after judging them in six categories, including Gaia’s expertise: sustainability. In the 130 rooms, the tiles and carpets are made of recycled materials, and all the wood comes from managed forests. The lush, green lawns never feel fertilizer’s negative impact. Located in the heart of coastal California’s wine country, Gaia’s spa specializes in vinotherapy, a relaxing treatment made from local grape extracts. Rooms start at $89 a night.

2. Inn By the Sea

Inn By the Sea, a luxury beach destination, overlooks Crescent Beach in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. They invested in a multi-million dollar renovation in 2008, updating the 57 guest rooms and building a new bar, a glass-enclosed restaurant with ocean views, and a full-service spa–all environmentally conscious endeavors. The staff cleans each room with non-toxic solutions, the fitness room has recycled rubber floors, and solar panels heat the pool. The Sea Glass restaurant tries to only serve indigenous fare from the surrounding farms and sea, and the menu reflects their attempts, offering Maine-foraged mushroom tarts and steamed, wild Maine mussels.  Double rooms start at $189 a night.

3.  Oil Rig Platform Resort and Spa

Ingenious architects refurbished and transformed one of the 4,000 oilrigs in the Gulf of Mexico into a luxury eco-resort and spa. Using all renewable power sources, they took an iconic source of dirty energy and created an eco-haven. A giant, vertical wind turbine and solar panels power the resort. The luxury spa offers all the usual services and takes advantage of being surrounded by water and offers boating, kayaking, snorkeling, and diving adventures.  Other unique aspects include a glass lobby floor to see the ocean below, and every room’s windows boast endless views of the Gulf. In the central core of the former rig, a gigantic tube filled with water can be seen from every single room, and acts as a ballast for the entire rig. Entertainment shows, like Cirque du Soleil’s “O,” are scheduled to perform in the central core at this one-of-a-kind eco-resort.

4.  The Lodge at Sun Ranch

The Lodge is not your ordinary dude ranch. Hidden in Cameron, Montana—the River Valley—genuine cowboys man this 26,000-acre expanse of property and tend to more than 1,500 head of cattle. The lodge has six rooms and two private cabins, all with breathtaking views of the mountains.  Indulge in western adventures and ride horseback, fly-fish, and go on a hike or boat, all the while knowing that this resort goes the extra step to reduce its carbon footprint. Sun Ranch donated a ten-year lease to Trout Unlimited to guarantee the waters on the property remain free of irrigation. They also removed all barbed wire so wildlife can roam the grounds, and they used recyclable materials to renovate the main lodge. They consistently purchase their produce from local farmers for daily, fresh meals in the restaurant. Rates start at $1,400 a person for a three-night stay, including all meals and excursions.

5. Lova Lava Land

Lova Lava Land is woman-owned and ran, three-acre, 100 percent off-grid, 100 percent solar-powered eco-resort on Hawaii’s Big Island. In every way possible, they tried to use green, sustainable, and recycled materials in constructing the resort construction. Accommodations range from a complete, round Yurt, to retro, renovated VW Camper Buses, all which feature composting toilets. Visitors can enjoy creative amenities like a lava-rock shower from rocks harvested from their own land, walking tours that highlight the local flora and fauna, and play coconut Bocce Ball. Rates start at $40 per night.

Escaping from your daily life on a relaxing getaway doesn’t have to mean taking a break from the green life. Visit the website of one of these eco-resorts to truly enjoy your vacation, guilt-free.

Perhaps the best way to lower your carbon footprint is to bike to work. Of course public transportation and carpooling do help, but nothing is as good for you and the earth as relying on a bicycle to get around. Biking is a great, low-impact exercise for those of us with damaged or stiff knees, and an awesome way to incorporate exercise into your day naturally. You probably already have a bike—here are a few great accessories for it to make the switch to cycling an easy one!

• TransIt Grocery Bag Pannier, $39.99 Maybe you are still driving to the store (with reusable bags of course) to buy your groceries. Not anymore! A great grocery bag pannier allows you to load up on food and then set the bag solidly on the back of your bike. Not only does this one fit on most standard panniers, it has a reflector stripe for added safety and a strap so you can take it into the store with you. Not grocery shopping today? That’s fine, just fold it up!

• CycleAware Reflex Mirror, $17.99 Nervous about biking in the street? Don’t fear, with a rear-view mirror you will be more aware of your surroundings than ever before. After attaching the mirror to your helmet, bend the flexible wire it is on to hit right in your peripheral vision. The base adheres permanently to your helmet, but the wire and mirror can be removed by ball and socket joints.

• Garmin Edge GPS with Heart Rate and Cadence, $599.99 In addition to guiding your bike route through the built in satellite map, this nifty tool will allow you to upload workouts, courses and saved rides. You can share your data with other GPS users, and automatically measure your speed, heart rate, cadence, distance, time, calories burned, altitude, climb and descent.

• NiteRider Sol LED Headlight, $129.99 If you work late or like to ride at night, don’t go anywhere without a headlight. This bright light can run for four hours per charge. Just plug it in to your wall and walk away! The charger self-monitors battery levels, so no worries about over charging. It is lightweight, compact, and fits most handlebars.

Depending on how serious you are of a biker and your intentions for your bike’s use, there are endless accessories to make your ride as convenient as a car trip. Bike around, see what you need, and get shopping!

The term “carbon footprint” infiltrates our consciousness via the news, blogs, and even blockbuster films. But what is a carbon footprint? How do I measure mine?

A carbon footprint is defined as the total amount of greenhouse gasses (GSG) produced by an organization, event, or product. For the individual earth-dweller, a carbon footprint measures the impact of our daily activities on the environment, particularly, in regards to climate change.  To live is to burn fossil fuels for electricity, heating, transportation, and other activities.

Two categories of CO2 emissions make up a carbon footprint. The primary footprint measures direct, controllable emissions of CO2, such as home costs (gas, oil, coal, electricity) and transportation, both public and private (cars and planes).

CO2 emissions that result from an individual’s lifestyle and product consumption—from production to breakdown–make up the secondary footprint. These include: public and financial services, recreation, buildings, furnishings, car manufacturing and delivery, and clothing. In short, the more we buy, the bigger the carbon footprint.

How do I measure my carbon footprint?

Carbon footprints are measured in equivalent units of metric tons of CO2, and basic information about your lifestyle adds up to your personal GSG contribution.

How can I reduce my carbon footprint?

Once you know the size of your carbon footprint, take baby steps to begin reducing it.

The average American’s carbon footprint is 20.40 metric tons, whereas the worldwide average is 4 metric tons. The global target size is 2 metric tons per person.  Environmentalists and believers in green living have worked to establish worldwide carbon offsetting programs that utilize solar and wind energy or promote reforestation in an attempt to reduce the global carbon footprint. The Kyoto Protocol enforces clean development mechanisms, joint implementation, and emissions trading, but what can I do as an individual to reduce my carbon footprint?

Here’s a list of simple things you can do immediately:

At home (Primary footprint):

• Turn off and unplug appliances when not in use (lights, TV, Computers, etc.)
• Turn down heating and turn off when you’re not home
• When using water (dishwasher, washing machine, kettle), use only as much as water as you need and wash full loads each time
• Use green energy supplies in your home (light bulbs, electricity provider, insulation, refrigerator, boiler, etc.)

On the road (Primary footprint):

• Complete your weekly shopping in a single trip
• Carpool, take public transportation, walk or bike as much as possible
• Reduce the number of flights you take
• When staying in a hotel, turn off the lights and air-conditioning and request for your room towels to be washed every other day

Rethink your buying habits (Secondary footprint):

• Don’t buy bottled water if your tap water is clean and healthful
• Buy locally produced foods or grow your own
• Eat less meat
• Buy organic produce, avoid packaged products
• Recycle!