The Grand Canyon Railway was recently honored with the National Park Service's Environmental Achievement Award in the Lean, Clean and Green category. What makes the new steam locomotive interesting and exciting is that the engine is powered by recycled vegetable oil.

The concessioner, owned and operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, accomplished the railway revival by conveying an inefficient 1923 Baldwin steam locomotive from diesel fuel to clean-burning, waste vegetable oil (WVO).

"This locomotive symbolizes our commitment to find cleaner ways of operating our resorts and of addressing our contribution to climate change," said Gordon Taylor, vice president of Parks South, Xanterra Parks and Resorts. 

The entire plan is part of a larger commitment to reduce the environmental footprint. Each round trip journey to the park now uses 1,320 gallons of WVO. This cuts diesel fuel consumption by about 1,100 gallons per trip and prevents the oil from entering the waste stream.

The locomotive also assists the Grand Canyon community in reaching its Climate Friendly Park goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The park has recently taken other steps to curb environmental pollutants by eliminating the sale of disposable water containers.

The waste associated with disposable bottles comprised an estimated 20 percent of the park's overall waste stream and 30 percent of the park's recyclables. In recent years, park officials had become concerned about increasing amounts of litter associated with disposable plastic bottles along trails both on the rim and within the inner canyon.

Grand Canyon Railway departs daily at 9:30 a.m. from Williams, Arizona, about 30 miles west of Flagstaff just off Interstate 40. The train travels almost due north to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, arriving at 11:45 a.m.. The trip spans 65 miles and takes 2 hours and 15 minutes each way, 45 minutes faster than in 1901 when the train made its first trip. The train departs Grand Canyon Depot at 3:30 p.m. returning to Williams Depot at 5:45 p.m.

The Grand Canyon Railway has been in place for years, making its first journey to the Grand Canyon on Sept. 17, 1901. Notable passengers to ride the railway include Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, William Howard Taft, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Clark Gable, Jimmy Durante, Doris Day, Warren Buffett, and Bill Gates.

How other area tour operators also help reduce traffic congestion.

"This is a tremendous step in the right direction," said James Hoke, president of TourGuy.com LLC. "Much like guides reduce the number of inbound vehicles to the park from Las Vegas, the train reduces motor traffic into the park from Flagstaff."

Hoke said many people initially believe renting a car from Las Vegas is a good idea. However, he said that rising gas prices, parking issues, length of the ride, environmental impact, and other factors make tour operators the better choice from Las Vegas.

TourGuy.com is the fastest-growing tour operator in Las Vegas. It was founded last year by James Hoke, who has almost 20 years of experience in hospitality management and eco/adventure tourism. All Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas are approved only after careful inspection that operators meet all TourGuy.com safety and environmental standards.

Of the 2.6 million weddings that will take place in the United States this year, about 120,000 of them will happen in Las Vegas. It's the wedding capital of the United States, and second only to Istanbul in the world.

In Las Vegas terms, that means the odds are 1 in 20.24 that a wedding will happen here. And those numbers skyrocket on days like Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and New Year's Eve, when couples look for love, luck, or a new year to help keep them together.

"Usually people who share those stats also try to stack the deck by mentioning that we have the highest divorce rate too," says James Hoke, president of TourGuy.com, LLC. "The people who get divorced here are rarely married here. So people who propose and marry in Las Vegas have great odds at true love."

The reason for the high marriage rate is that Nevada has very lax marriage laws. The cost of a wedding license is $60 (cash) and one form of identification, like a driver's license, passport, or birth certificate.

There are no blood tests or waiting periods, which is why it is a popular place to get married. The wedding license office also has extended hours, usually 8 a.m. to midnight. Clark County also recently added an online marriage pre-application to help people save time.

"With Valentine's Day next Tuesday, everyone will be scrambling to make special arrangements and we'll be happy to accommodate them," said Hoke. "But what I wanted to share this year was how proposals are often even more exciting in Las Vegas on the quick, giving future couples more time to plan their weddings when they come back."

Three Exciting Places To Propose On Valentine's Day. 

• Propose high above the Las Vegas skyline after a champagne toast. The 12-15 minute flight aboard a state-of-the-art Eco-Star helicopter features stunning views of Las Vegas in a large cabin with unobstructed views. The cabin seats six people.

If you arrive early, you can have your picture taken under the Welcome To Las Vegas sign, enjoy a champagne toast (when some people propose), and then start your new adventure together over the Las Vegas Strip. Some couples believe seeing the dancing fountains from overhead means especially good fortune.

• Propose 3,200 feet below the rim of the Grand Canyon. Instead of simply heading over the Las Vegas Strip, this tour travels 35 minutes to a designated landing area at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. Depending on availability, passengers have their choice of tours between 7 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. (sunset).

The place to propose is at the landing site, where you can take in the grandeur of the Grand Canyon just a few feet from the Colorado River. The tour includes a picnic lunch, but the ideal time to propose is just before the champagne toast. It is one of the most romantic places in nature.

• Propose at Bryce Canyon, which is America's natural cathedral. The full-day tour starts at 6 a.m. with a complimentary hotel pickup before heading off to two of the nation's most remarkable parks in Utah. The first stop is Bryce Canyon, also known as nature's cathedral for its colorful geological spirals.

Bryce Canyon is a beautiful place to propose, and then newly engaged couples will be able to enjoy the rest of the day visiting Zion National Park, which is also renowned for its towering cliffs and deep red canyons, including the Grand Staircase. While not as famous as the Grand Canyon, both parks deliver an experience that is equally spiritual.

TourGuy.com was founded to help people experience another side of tourism with its first major hub located in Las Vegas. For more things to do outside Las Vegas, discover the full offering of adventure and eco-tourism in Nevada.