On Earth Day, after a two year pilot program, New York tourism and government agencies unveiled a new “Green Heart” initiative meant to highlight the state’s eco-certified hotels, restaurants and attractions, as well as motivate residents and visitors to, well, get off Manhattan.
A new tourism website—complete with Milton Glaser’s famous red heart turned green—highlights 10 recommended itineraries throughout the state to make trip planning easy. Additionally, a list of eco-certified hotels recommends forward-thinking properties that were the first to receive a nod from the newly launched New York State Green Hotel Certification Program.
Some of the destinations highlighted aren’t too surprising, like Niagara Falls, Letchworth State Park and the Fire Island National Seashore. But the Empire State Building makes the list for energy-conservation efforts, as does the Storm King Art Center, a 500-acre museum and nature preserve in Mountainville, about an hour north of Manhattan near West Point. The Catskill Scenic Trail, a 19-mile stretch of abandoned rail bed that’s been reclaimed as a hiking and biking trail, is another interesting pick.
Restaurants across the state are also getting involved, thanks to a partnership with the Green Restaurant Association, which rates businesses not just on energy and waste management but also on the sustainability of their ingredients. Most of the places on the list to date are in New York City but tourism officials hope to sign on more restaurateurs as green travel throughout the state picks up.
Tourism officials have partnered with Amtrak to promote rail travel to the highlighted destinations, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car has signed on for those times you really do need a ride: the company brags that it has the country’s largest fleet of fuel-efficient cars and also undertakes a number of other green efforts.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram