LONDON - Prince Charles canceled a traditional skiing holiday in a bid to reduce his carbon footprint, his office said Saturday.
The decision came a day after campaigners and a government minister criticized his decision to fly to New York to collect an award for work on environmental issues.
Environment Secretary David Miliband expressed reservations Friday about the heir to the British throne traveling to the U.S. for the ceremony, while advocacy groups urged the prince to use a video link instead.
Prince Charles' Clarence House office said the prince had decided last year to cancel a regular skiing holiday to Switzerland as part of an effort to reduce the number of flights he takes.
Details of the prince's carbon footprint are scheduled to be published along with his annual office accounts later this year. The document will set out targets for the reduction of carbon emissions by his office and household.
During the two-day trip to the U.S. beginning Jan. 27, Prince Charles and wife Camilla will visit youth development, urban regeneration and environmental conservation projects, the British Council in New York said Friday.
In Philadelphia on Jan. 27, they will learn about the city's Mural Arts Program, the country's largest public art program and one that relies a great deal on youth talent, the consulate said. They will visit with students who are studying or have studied overseas.
The couple will ride a private train that uses an electric locomotive from Philadelphia to New York, where the prince is to collect a Global Environmental Citizen Award from the Center for Health and Global Environment at Harvard Medical School.
