I’m a moderately active environmentalist. I’ve got a small environmental site which I built and maintain, and I certainly try and keep an active commitment to local businesses and community as much as I can. So, naturally, when Google announced their latest Google Maps mashup, my ears perked up.

The idea is a mapping tool which highlights environmentally friendly vacations in five cities – Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, and San Francisco. The project is a cooperative effort between Google and the Earth Day Network.

It’s a cool idea, and I want to make it clear that the ACTUAL Google Maps index contains a lot more environmentally friendly options than just those highlighted in those five cities. The mashup itself somewhat gives the impression that you can easily find great environmentally sound vacations in these five places, and, as an afterthought, suggest searching for environmentalist options elsewhere using Google Maps as well.

It’s not a big thing, but certainly something to keep in mind – if you’re making any big trips in the United States in the future, be sure to look here to try and find good green vacation options.