Hi Catherine,
Thank you for the kind note, I do hope that these articles stay on the CC for a while and can encourage new hosts and seasoned ones to think a little differently about their listing(s) and how they host.
The inspiration has certainly become stronger now that I have grandchildren. They are far to young to understand the decisions that adults around them make and how that will impact their future. So, I guess I started to think about what I was doing day to day and how that would impact them when they become my age.
As a host, I did not even know how important this was going to be for my guests. My listing is in an UNESCO Designated Biosphere, so for me, not showcasing the environment would be similar to listing in Niagara Falls and not mentioning the Falls itself.
Little additions, like the rain barrels and how important and fun they were for little ones, let alone my garden and my back (since I no longer had to lug buckets to water the garden). A rain barrel full of fresh clean water with a spigot can entertain easily for an hour, and the cost is small and the benefit is incredible.
The inspiration went from there, upcycling and ensuring that I kept the circular economy going with my furniture purchases, and additions, meant I could be able to afford good quality cotton sheets for the guests. I got to know friends at KOTN, and their sheets were Egyptian cotton, and their commitment to building schools for girls in Egypt with their proceeds meant the act of buying sustainable cotton sheets kept giving back.
With the boys out of the house (of which there are 6) I could spend more time getting to know and understand the benefits of plants, and the more plants I had, the less dust in the listing, and the happier the whole Airbnb felt. It was green and lush and really starting to showcase a sustainable listing.
Finally, we added in the collection of Food Waste, and Catherine, that was where we really got inspired. Guests wanted to know how many pounds they had collected, and were happy when I could tell them via a carbon calculator what they had done to reduce their emissions when travelling.
The perfect guest became a plant loving, EV vehicle driver who liked to collect food waste.
My listing started to attract them, and hosting took on a whole new perspective, of making our listing as close to NET Zero as possible. We are not there yet, but each year we are getting closer and closer.
Guests are excited, I am inspired, more bookings, kinder, greener guests, and I have made significantly more income, which has allowed me to plant more trees, make bigger gardens, yes purchase more plants, and continue to make this listing a sustainable B Corp certified Airbnb.
We also are a GSTC Gold Standard host on your platform Catherine, so now I am all about it. Inspiration, has turned to motivation, has turned to a lifestyle change.
And my granddaughter loves to visit Grama Jen's house. Not only because of the 1:1 time she gets with me, but also because we can garden and plant and learn from each other how blessed we all are.
Many a green items.
Purchased for the new garden
Helping the Bees
My Granddaughter
Jennifer Schnier