Quick question for you - are you green? No, I don’t mean The Hulk kind of green! I mean, are you conscious about the environment? Do you care about being green when you travel?

People make small to large decisions every day that impact the environment - whether it is the decision to not have your bed sheets changed at a hotel or an airline deciding which aircraft to fly on certain routes in order to minimize carbon emissions. Do you ever think green while you are traveling? Are you ever presented with eco-friendly information before you make your travel decisions?

Why am I asking? I’m participating in a conference at the end of October. The conference’s focus is “going green in travel”, and I would really appreciate your feedback. As a business traveler or a leisure traveler, do you ever make a travel decision based on whether or not the airline is making green initiatives? Do you choose one hotel over another because it is eco-friendly? Do these thoughts ever cross your mind? Is it service and quality over environment that drives your decisions?

Thanks for your feedback!

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

In the December issue of Global Traveler, we will be releasing the results of our 2008 Best in Business and Luxury Travel awards. This will be an important milestone as it will be the fifth such survey we release.

During the last five years, the magazine has seen incredible growth, increasing page count, an expanding staff and, of course, growing revenue. Most important, though, is that we have proven our company to be reliable, dependable and honest. The last five years have seen other magazines in our competitive set shut down, restart and inflate their circulations. It is like a soap opera, and there is always someone out to make a quick buck.

We always take the higher road. Our revenues from the first year to this year are reflective of our dedication and honesty. We can look our clients straight in the eye and tell them that we believe in what we say - because that is the truth!

Of course, we will be holding our annual luncheon in New York City, and we are currently searching for our celebrity speaker on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In the past years, we have welcomed Terry Waite, Beirut hostage and negotiator and a great speaker; Cynthia Nixon, from Sex and the City; Annette Lauer, Matt Lauer’s wife and a supermodel; Ivana Trump and, of course, a surprise visit from her ex-husband, Donald Trump (but we fired him!).

Keep on reading the magazine, the blog, the web site and our two editions of eFlyer (US and Asia). I am sure the growth will continue for years and years to come!

-Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

We are enjoying several days in Chicago, visiting our girls and witnessing our younger daughter’s dedication ceremony as she enters her junior year in her nursing program at Loyola University. The Affinia Hotel, just half a block off of Michigan Avenue near Watertower Place, is our home for five days and has so far proven to be very comfortable and convenient. (It’s only a couple of blocks from Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s ER, too, a fact which became known to us yesterday morning, and which may be fodder for a future blog.) Gino’s East restaurant, located right next door, provided us with a great pizza the first night we got in.

The weather has been fantastic these last two days: high 70s to low 80s, light breeze, clear skies and mild evenings. It’s hard to believe we’re in the last week of September, and judging from the number of folks out strolling the sidewalks late into the night, everyone is thrilled by this return of summer. And for some Chicagoans, their joy will be complete if only the Sox can win the division!

Yesterday afternoon was spent strolling around Lincoln Park Zoo. Being a gardener, I have to admit I got as much pleasure from the beautiful grounds as I did the animal exhibits–and they are nothing to sneer at. What made the trip even more delightful was the fact that admission is free!! Families must surely enjoy such a great outing in the midst of the city.

This evening we indulged in more Italian cuisine in Old Town at Dinotto’s Ristorante, with everyone in our party more than satisfied with the range of appetizers and entrees we ordered. From there we walked a short block to a comedy show at The Second City e.t.c. (the second troupe at SC). Campaign Supernova, or How Many Democrats Does It Take to Lose an Election? provided two hours of topical humor that had everyone in the room roaring with laughter.

 With two full days left in this visit, we’ve got plenty of other options to fill our days and nights (and stomachs! Got to squeeze in a visit to a Garrett Popcorn Shop sometime.) John Wroblewski has provided us with some great recommendations, and Chicago is also the kind of city where you can find some fabulous places to dine or visit just by getting out, strolling around and keeping your senses alert.

Hope you’ve had a great weekend, as well!

 Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

Shortly after our marriage 27 years ago, my husband and I started getting together with a group of Portland friends, also young marrieds, about once every two months to share food, wine and companionship. The core developed around the men, some of whom had known each other since high school. The women became fast friends as their relationships with the guys developed into marriage. Some of the husbands took winetasting classes and started collecting wines, and this was the impetus for G.L.O.W. (Great Lovers of Wine). Over the intervening years many of us moved out of town, changed jobs and survived serious illnesses. Of necessity, our gatherings were reduced in number over the course of a year, and there were years when we were never able to all gather at one time, but the effort has always been made.

Aside from the pleasure we got from enjoying good wine and food together, we shared the arc of family life: pregnancies, births, childhood scares and triumphs, teenage challenges, college and young careers launched. Now we find ourselves gathering at our children’s weddings, celebrating certainly the joy and promise of these young people we have known literally since they were twinkles in their daddies’ eyes.

Last Saturday we reunited again to witness the marriage of another one of “our” kids. Through the course of the evening we caught up on our lives, sometimes in one large group, sometimes as just two or three, sharing advice, commiseration and congratulations, as the topic required. As we’ve found happens so often, the guys would end up at one table while the women grouped around another, but there is always an easy ebb and flow between us all. Sitting back and watching the gentle teasing and hearing the knowing laughter, I realized that these occasions are a chance for us to celebrate not just the start of a new family, but to rejoice in these relationships which have endured so much and for so long, and which continue to provide us with such a comforting sense of belonging and acceptance.

And of course, what would a reunion of G.L.O.W. be without some amazing wine? Our host, and father of the groom, generously shared some fantastic bottles which he had been saving for just such an auspicious occasion. For those out there who love great wine (and on the chance that those at the event will be reading this and will want to recall the details), here is what we drank:

 1987 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (double magnum)–closed at first, blossomed into a fine, mature Cab   

1990 Woodward Canyon Dedication Series Cab Sauv (magnum)–silky, continuous fruit

1994 Woodward Canyon Charbonneau (magnum)–Cab/Merlot blend, rivaled the best Bordeaux has to offer

1995 Canoe Ridge Merlot (magnum)–great color, lively cherry and berry flavors

1997 Woodward Canyon Old Vines Cab Sauv (magnum)–HUGE cherries, fantastic nose, just didn’t quit–the undisputed favorite of the evening

I encourage you to find the opportunity soon to reconnect with those old friends who’ve laughed, cried and loved with you through the years. L’chaim!

Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

I was listening to Q102’s new syndicated (out of NYC) morning show, Elvis Duran, on my way into work yesterday morning when I heard about a new contest being run by Google. I was intrigued, so I decided to research the idea further.

Project 10 to the 100th is Google’s “call for ideas to change the world by helping as many people as possible.” Google is asking for people to submit their ideas on how to help the world and as many inhabitants as possible. Google will then choose up to five ideas and use $10 million to help implement the projects. The contest is in celebration of Google’s 10th anniversary.

The ideas must fall into one of eight categories: Community, Opportunity, Energy, Environment, Health, Education, Shelter and Everything Else. In addition, you must define how your idea will meet the following criteria:

Reach - how many people in the world will your idea help?

Depth - how deep will the impact be and how urgent is the need?

Attainability - can this idea be implemented within the next one to two years?

Efficiency - is the idea simple and cost effective?

Longevity - how long will this idea help people?

I found this to be an extremely interesting contest because not only does it force people to be creative, but it forces people to seriously think about the world. You often hear that people don’t vote or offer their opinions because they don’t feel like their voice matters, but here, Google is giving the individual a chance to be heard and make what could potentially be a HUGE difference. And I also think that the way the prize is allocated is a great idea - Google is not giving you money, Google is implementing your idea. This way the company ensures the idea is turned into action. I also think it will help weed out the entry pool - greedy people just interested in making money won’t bother applying, only people generally interested in helping out will enter.

So, if you have a good idea and want to help the world, submit your plan by October 20, 2008. Voting begins on January 27, 2009. I will be interested to see the winning ideas and see how they are implemented.

-Kimberly Krol, circulation and PR executive and eFlyer editor