Green travel ideas from two environmentally conscious travelers

Water conservation by itself doesn’t make for an eco-friendly golf course. Ever wonder how many golf balls must be soaking at the bottoms in the water hazards in golf courses?

Hint - it takes between 100 to 1000 years for a golf ball to decompose naturally, and around 300 million golf balls are lost each year in the US alone.

But now there’s a solution - EcoBioBall aka biodegradable golf balls. Not only do these balls dissolve when dunked into the water, but they’re also made of fish food. So every time you hit a ball into a water hazard, you have an excuse - you’re feeding the fish.

The concept behind Albus Golf’s EcoBioBall is neat and simple. Once it hits the water, the outer layer (made of recyclable plastic polymer) dissolves within 48 hours, releasing the fish-food inside.

Albert Buscato, CEO of Albus Golf, tells CNN that since it is a single-use ball, the cost will be considerably lower than the average golf ball and Buscato is confident this means the “goldfish-friendly” option will be a hit with buyers.

Of course, its going to be a while before something like this makes its way into championship golf. But it is good for practise, when you’re trying to get past the water hazards. It is also perfect for cruises, where you no longer need to be afraid of losing the ball or polluting the oceans.

More details here - www.albusgolf.com/

Traveling with a pooch? As someone who does often, I was interested to see that Loews hotels, already known for their green policies and commitment to the environment, are now offering a “Grrreen Dog” package.

Rates start at $119/night, but the actual rate depends on the hotel you choose.

What might this include? Well, you get a specially crafted room service meal for your pet which contains ingredients that all come from local farms. Vet-approved, of course, so your night in the hotel room with them won’t be a bad one.  You also get a 100% organic cotton bandanna made by Doggie Go Green as well as a Zogoflex Huck dog toy, which is apparently not only indestructible, but it floats and bounces, too. This seems to be a very hand toy to have in a hotel room when you leave your pet alone; coming back to a chewed up bed or sofa would be a touch stressful.

Cute? Yes. But on a more serious and significant note, this program is just another way that this hotel chain is demonstrating their commitment to making every part of their guests services more environmentally friendly. It would be easy to provide low-grade dog food and toys made out of non-biodegradable materials. But, Loews went the extra mile, and I like that.

You can book this package until December 19, 2009.