Hot out of the Inbox is an email from the Rick Steves travel empire in Edmonds, Europe Through the Back Door.

I am posting it here since you may not be on the mailing list. He has a very good message about air travel and the CO2 emissions that come from it – and that once in Europe, you can use rail travel as a way to reduce your travel carbon footprint.

My only recommendation to you is to not try to take a train anywhere on Christmas Eve. We went from Milan to Torino on that day, and we had to stand in the breezeway most of the way it was so insanely crowded. He probably warned us against it in his books that we bought and took with us but had not erad all the way thru yet.

Dear Traveler,

Traveling ‘green’ is something every thoughtful traveler should strive for. Earth’s the only planet we’ve got, and we need to keep it healthy. But for Americans traveling to Europe, there are practical trade-offs that make traveling green closer to shades of gray than black and white.

Your flight to Europe will unavoidably spew lots of CO2 into the atmosphere, and for the time being there is no practical alternative. To try and make up for the environmental damage, a growing number of travelers are purchasing carbon offsets, which direct money into worthwhile things like reforestation and alternative energy projects. If this 21st-century way of “paying indulgences” helps people travel with clearer consciences, I’m all for it, because I’ve always believed that travel makes us better-informed, more thoughtful citizens of our planet — something we need now more than ever.

Thankfully, once you land in Europe, you’ll have more control over how green your trip is.

Flying is often the fastest (and sometimes even the cheapest) way to get around Europe, but flying just piles on to the CO2 impact of your transatlantic flights.

Europe’s comprehensive, energy-efficient rail network gives travelers a practical alternative. In many cases (figuring in how time-consuming it can be to get to an airport, go through security, etc.), going by train can be just as quick. It’s certainly more comfortable, and here’s the bonus: you can feel good about exploring Europe with a carbon footprint that’s 70% to 90% smaller than if you’d flown. Need another good reason? Eurail Passes are even cheaper now than they were a year ago.

To learn more about the greening of European rail travel, check out this month’s Travel News. You’ll also find articles on my favorite way to fly (without a plane) from France to Italy over Mt. Blanc, some exciting new tours we’ve just launched…and a Travel Tale that bares all.

However you choose to explore our planet, may your travels be thoughtful — and happy.

Rick