NT: What inspired you to start planting trees?

TC: My father was a part of the National Tree Trust, and he printed a bumper sticker saying, “Trees are the answer.” We still print these bumper stickers today! This, along with my father’s love of his East Texas, is what inspired me.

NT: In terms of transportation, FedEx, BNSF railway, Dart Mass Transit—what are the steps being made for transportation to be more green?

TC: FedEx is a great example. They drive 12 million miles a day and are altering their fleets to natural gas. The BAF Company right here in Dallas tore out a gas tank and put in natural gas. A lot of big companies are now going green when it comes to their vehicles.

NT: How can we be involved in the “go-green” movement when we’re traveling?

TC: Hotels. Hotels are now really trying to go green. Before you book a room, look up properties and see which ones have the infrastructure in their buildings and are using less energy.

NT: What’s one practice or habit we can change to improve the environment at home?

TC:  Turning off lights and water, pulling the phone charger out of the socket when you’re not charging your phone—simple things. If all of America had a major effort towards energy efficiency like this—not to the point of total change of lifestyle, but just simple things—the American economy could still grow strongly. We’d have all the power and never have to build another power plant again.

The Earth Day Dallas Festival is happening this weekend and it’s an all day, two-day festival that celebrates our planet. Find out more at EarthDayDallas.org.

For more Earth Day ideas and green travel opportunities, check out:

• The Tops 5 Green Events for Earth Day 2012
• Earth Day Vacation Ideas
• Four Car Free Ways to Explore Santa Barbara
• Eco-Travel archives

By Natasha Tadros for PeterGreenberg.com