Chances are that when you’re traveling to your private residence club or destination club retreat or favorite resort community, you’ll step into a train, plane or automobile. But by stepping into your vehicle of choice, you’re contributing to environmentally-unfriendly carbon-dioxide emissions.

One of the biggest culprits of carbon pollutants is the airline industry, which accounts for an estimated two percent of emissions globally. With air travel expected to increase 60 percent by 2025, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, the negative environmental effects may increase, too. Private jets have already begun offering programs that allow its fliers to offset their carbon footprint, but now many commercial airlines are making environmentally friendly strides to give green-conscious travelers more peace of mind.

On the commercial flying front, Virgin Atlantic is leading the charge to a more eco-friendly airline industry. Customers can purchase carbon offsets through the Virgin website to help alleviate their impact on the environment, but the company also has some larger environmental initiatives in the works. On its website, the company has published a list of 12 initiatives to make the business as sustainable as possible. CEO Richard Branson has pledged to donate all of his future profits from his travel companies to research and development for bio-diesel fuel and environmental projects. A trial of bio-jet fuel should happen in 2008, and the company is investing in more efficient aircraft, with the goal of improving fuel efficiency by 30 percent by 2020.

British Airways has partnered with Climate Care to offer customers a carbon emissions calculator and the option to purchase carbon offsets. In late September of last year, the airline also placed an order for 12 Airbus A380s and 24 Boeing 787s, which have significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions and better fuel efficiency than aircraft in their current fleet—a move intended to help BA reach its goal of improving fuel efficiency 25 percent between 2005 to 2025.

Several domestic airlines are also moving to the green spectrum. Delta has partnered with the Conservation Fund, an organization that plants trees to combat carbon emissions, and consumers can make a donation to the organization when purchasing a ticket at Delta.com. The airline also makes a contribution to the Fund for each ticket booked. Continental Airlines offers a carbon offset program as well, and has reduced approximately 75 percent of its nitrogen oxide emissions from ground equipment at their largest hub in Houston, by making the switch to electric for ground service equipment and embracing other new technologies. Even a number of rental car agencieswith ubiquitous airport presence, including Alamo, National and Enterprise, have gotten on board by partnering with Terrapass to offer the option of carbon offsets to their customers.

With these new programs rolling out, there are more options than ever for the sustainable traveler looking to think green when booking their next ticket.