What does it say that one town can be proud of having produced both Br'er Rabbit and the Color Purple? Eatonton, GA takes some pride in having been home to both authors Joel Chandler Harris and Alice Walker. The former created the Uncle Remus Tales, starring an ebonic-speaking rabbit most famous for his encounter with a "tar baby." His stories, interpretations of black folk tales he heard from storytellers were popular once with audiences black and white.

In later years, writers including Alice Walker have taken offense at what they and others view as Harris' being credited for what amounts to inappropriate cultural acquisition. Alice Walker, known for her portrayals of long-suffering, but powerfully staunch women of color, also wrote an essay called "Uncle Remus: No Friend of Mine."

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#30 Pass It On: If complimentary newspapers are provided, place them in the lobby, lounge, or nearby coffeehouse for others to read when you’re done.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#29 Recycle on the road: Ask your hotelier about their recycling program. Many hotels participate in recycling efforts, even if it’s not advertised. If they don’t have a recycling program, suggest they start one.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#28 Use E-Tickets: Using an e-ticket saves paper, not to mention protects you against the specter of a lost ticket.

You have to pay for your room and breakfast at the Grady House in High Springs, FL, but entertainment from the resident be-spotted “Grady Bunch” comes from for free.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#27 Offset Your Travel: Unless you’re doing all of your travel on foot, chances are you’re responsible for some hefty carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Over the past year, I’ve logged approximately 35,000 miles in planes and cars while researching stories, resulting in a whopping 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#26 Choose an Eco-Friendly Hotel: Not all hotels are created equal when it comes to eco-friendliness. Here are a few hotels that are doing their part for the environment:

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#25 Opt for a Fuel-Efficient Rental Car: At locations across the country, both Avis and Hertz  offer a green collection of cars, which can be reserved by specific make and model, including the incredibly fuel-efficient Toyota Prius Hybrid (48 mpg highway, 45 mpg city).

Jackson's, just across from the Plaza Ferdinand

A few months back there was a lot of buzz about the merger of Jackson’s – one of Pensacola’s venerable steakhouses – with the Great Southern Restaurant Group, which owns and operates the Fish House and the Atlas Oyster House. I finally got the chance to eat at Jackson’s post merger and, not that I expected anything less, but I’m happy to report that the food was terrific.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#24: Buy local products: The ingredients of a typical meal travel 1,500 miles before making it to your plate.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#23 Impact-Less: Whether traveling for pleasure or business, there’s plenty more to learn about how we can impact the planet less.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#22 Use a Solar Charger: Don't rely on fossil fuel-generated power to recharge your iPod or cell phone.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#21 Water Wise: Just like at home, keep your showers short and don’t waste water while brushing your teeth.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#20 Capture the Moment: Considering the amount of energy and materials used in making and processing film, digital cameras are relatively better for the environment.

University of Texas football coach Mack Brown doesn't wear the ring from his team's 2005 national championship. "That's part of the past," he explains sagely. "Now we're trying to win with this team."

After the No. 1 Longhorns' 56-31 annihilation of 11th-ranked Missouri in Austin Saturday night, it seems undefeated Texas is well on its way.

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#19 Pack It Out: Especially when touring heavily visited sites, pick up at least one piece of litter each day.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#18 Foam No More: When on the road, disposable cups and plates are almost an inevitability.

Just passing through the Memphis Interational Airport, I couldn't help notice how Sam Phillips' particular genius still flavors the town he called home for much of his life. Sam, to put it as I did in a 2002 Southern Living story, is the man who invented rock'n'roll. I made that huge claim because Sam's Sun Studio not only recorded Ike Turner and the Jackie Brenston Five's Rocket 88, reputed to be the first true rock song, but also because he went on to record Elvis, BB King, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and other musical pioneers too numerous to mention here.

Sam died a few years ago, shortly after my story appeared, and for many younger people, his name now belongs to a female alt-folk-rocker. But Sam Phillips, the man, was an original, and his imprint remains. There at the airport, I visited the Sun Records Store, adjacent to the Rock'n'Soul Museum Store, both packed to the ceiling with memorabilia that wouldn't have been possible if Sam Phillips hadn't been a white producer willing to take a chance on black musicians in the 1950s. Down the concourse, Sun Studios Cafe beckoned, one more reminder of a red-headed entrepreneur who moved north and west from Muscle Shoals and made his fortune, and those of many others.

Sam had great stories to tell about those early days, always entertaining whether or not the details blurred with time. His voice is gone, but his sound - that sound he was always trying to capture, lives on in the hits. Hearing some playing across the speakers at the airport reminds even transitory patrons that the South produced rock, soul, blues, country, and jazz. Without Sam, Memphis - and American popular music - wouldn't be the same.

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#17 Time Out: Turn off exercise equipment, lights, and the exercise-room TV when you’re finished working out.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#16 Hotel Linens:Let the hotel in which you’re staying know it’s not necessary to wash linens daily.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#15 Java Junk: Avoid those in-room coffee makers with all the disposable pieces and parts.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#14 Drink Local: While the water may taste different from what you drink at home, municipal water systems in this country are some of the safest in the world.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#13 Volunteer Vacation: Consider volunteering while on vacation.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#12 Savvy Souvenirs: When picking up knick-knacks, beware of products made from endangered plants or animals.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#11 Let Somebody Else Drive: Save on the hassle of parking as well as the expense of a rental car by taking advantage of public transportation.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#10 Muscle-powered vacations: There are few better ways to truly experience a town or city by walking or biking when visiting.

Having friends over to watch the game, priceless.

We're all feeling the pinch of the current economic downturn. So instead of making the trip to Dallas for the Red River Rivalry pitting No. 1 Oklahoma against No. 5 Texas, I decided to throw my own tailgate party and invite a bunch of friends over.

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#9 Sweet Dreams: Need extra incentive to get the necessary shut eye? Consider that you can reduce your carbon footprint by simply sleeping.

Last weekend, Union Station in Washington D.C. turned 100 years old. Though officially opened in 1907, the wonderful example of Beaux-Arts style celebrated its final completion a year later in 1908. Today, the white granite columns, cavernous barrel-vaulted ceilings, and marble floors echo a history of soaring American architecture as bygone as the train whistles just down the hall. If you've yet to experience this old-school grandeur in DC, make it this special year. Even if just for a movie (downstairs theater).

For more images taken by SL Editor Tanner Latham, read on.

Nashville hosts the best and brightest in Southern Books this weekend, October 10-12, and it's wide open to the public. Even Oprah's next book pick will be there. If curling up with a stirring novel or a fascinating dive into history suits you, keep reading this post for my own "Cliff's Notes" of how to best experience the Southern Festival of Books.

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#8 Camp Out: Low-impact traveling is all the more important when staying at designated campsites or in the backcountry.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#7 Stay Long: You know someone would have to come up with a name for this style of travel that involves longer, yet fewer vacations.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#6 Go Long: As if we needed another incentive to fly non-stop, it’s more fuel efficient to do so.

"Charlie Brown Wins!"

This could have been the headline in The Tennessean after the 19th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores beat No. 13 Auburn 14-13 in Nashville Saturday night.

For years, the Lucys of the Southeastern Conference snatched the ball away just as Charlie (a.k.a. Vandy) Brown was about to achieve success. But on this night, the SEC's perennial whipping boys finally sank a football powerhouse to go 5-0 for the first time since World War II. As improbable as it may seem, it's now the Commodores who are sitting proudly atop the SEC East.

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#5: Slow down.

On average, it’s estimated that cars and trucks lose some 5 percent fuel efficiency for every 5 MPH driven faster than 60 MPH.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#4 Pack Light: Whether you’re doing the driving or flying, carefully consider how much you’re packing for the trip.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#3 Car Care: If you’re driving across town or cross-country, be sure to keep your automobile properly maintained.

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#2 Watering: If you have an irrigation system on a timer, ask a friend to monitor the weather and turn the system on only when needed.

The Blue Dog artist shouldn't feel blue this week. Today Governor Bobby Jindal announced George Rodrigue, the man behind the wonderful motif, as Louisiana's Artist Laureate. Well done George! George hits the road this month on book tour for Blue Dog Speaks. To find the Louisiana Laureate somewhere near you, starting October 5th in Texas, click here. 

Join the editors of our travel blog this month as they share their best tips for staying green on the road.

#1 Power-down before you leave: There are a number of things we can do to lessen the power drain before hitting the road.