How to encourage guests to be more environmentally-aware ?

[Stephanie]

Hi everyone, 

The below information has been translated from the French-speaking Community Center (see original topic here), and written by @Katy-and-Vincent0. It is the result of discussions within France’s Community Board, made up of local club leaders across the country. They put together a proposal to help make guests more aware of how they can be more responsible towards the environment while travelling, and would like to open a debate and encourage more ideas to be shared on the matter, so we thought this is a question we could open up to everyone.

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Hosts receive thousands of visitors, not all of whom are aware of the eco-gestures that can help preserve the environment.

We all observe behaviours that could be improved (lights on all day, heating at full blast, bins full of plastic waste...). What if we, Airbnb hosts, decided to pass on messages to our guests?

Awareness points (non-exhaustive list)

Lights left on

Excessive heating or air conditioning on with open windows

Devices left on standby

Unlimited water consumption (bath/shower)

Tap water vs. bottled water, etc.

What kind of message should we be delivering?

Do not guilt guests, but instead be kind and benevolent

Highlight simple actions that are easy to remember

Use examples implemented in the accommodation in which the traveller is staying

How do you pass it on?

We are all different, we all have different listings, practices and guests, and a general brochure, even at local level, does not seem appropriate.

We are thinking about tools - stickers, postcards, magnets - that everyone could use to raise awareness among their guests: a message in the bathroom about how long to shower for, one on the front door for the light, another above the sink for tap water, etc.

A few examples

"We don't need plastic bottles, local tap water is delicious."

"Tap water is excellent, it doesn't take 300 km to get here and doesn't cost tons of fuel!"

“On the way out, I turn off the air conditioning so as not to heat up the planet.”

“I save my towel for tomorrow, it's water and electricity saved and the planet protected!”

“To go to the market, I borrow the bags I have at my disposal: it's less plastic in the oceans!”

“I turn off the television completely: it's 3 to 20 watts of savings! The planet and Brian say thank you :))”

Some easy-to-apply suggestions for your home

LED bulbs that significantly reduce power consumption

If you provide "goodies", avoid single-use plastic, mineral water bottles (prefer tap water or a filter jug), local products - easier in the countryside! -, etc. ... and mention it on arrival!

Leave eco-responsible cleaning products (there are more and more of them available!) and white vinegar is fantastic!

Share ways of exploring the area: by bicycle, on foot, by carpooling, etc - Carpooling services and apps for example are often unknown to guests from abroad and very practical in case of problems on train lines.

Let’s carry on the conversation, as this is relevant for locations around the world. 🙂 

How do you think hosts can encourage guests to be more eco-conscious? Do you already apply some of the tips above, and is there any you would add to the list?

Thanks, 

Stephanie

[Manasui0]

hi..

When a guest travel.. they already made the journey to a distance.. to experience some thing new.. who want to experience some thing old.. they already in a state to learn.. they wonder in curiosity.. most of my bad review is mainly, because I mess it up.. they are in a state they willing to learn, even local guest.. they want to experience.. by talking and listening you complete the task.. 

even is bias and discriminative.. with the right attitude you can make it happen.. is the moment you still their breath away that counts, they already in aware condition.. is the prepared untangled simple, easy to understand needs to be practice.. 

you can never be perfect, but being good is getting closer to those perfection.. in your original ways..

is the art of making "Ocha" in Japan.. a simple movement practice in passion and in search of perfection a better way constantly..

like "Winchung" training and dancing in a flow of chi..

automatic, relax, and focus..  like driving a car

[Trevor243]

The vast majority of our guests just want a holiday. They're not too interested in saving the planet and they're certainly not booking for classes in eco-friendliness. If they're cold, the put the heating on, because they can. The shop in supermarkets for the (theoretically) cheaper foods in the plastic packaging. The put all the rubbish in the same bins - and even if we provide separate bins for different recyclables, it would all go in the same landfill.

But we do use LED lightbulbs. We have a squirty soap because it's more convenient and cost-effective. But we have to boil wash hand towels because guests use them to clean floors, instead of using the mops and buckets we supply (and this is why we refuse to supply bath / beach towels, which means we'll never be superhosts).

Not even Greta scowling at everyone will make our guests change their ways .....

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

All those suggestions are good but, people who care would do it anyway, those who don't , probably will not bother to read our notes or change their behavior

Some hosts in some areas charge 5€ per day for A/C, I am sorry this is not practiced all over the world. It should.

[Helen427]

Live by the motto, "Do Something from Olden days , to help educate and do something New" 

Many of the ways people are doing or encouraging others to do are things that those before us did as they simply didn't have the ways or means or materials that we do today.

 They lead simple, carefree lives in a healthier environment.

 One of my Japanese homestay guests in days before ABB said she wanted to take a practice we do in NZ back to Japan.

She wanted to help ensure rubbish was not thrown in the rivers.

I try encourage others in the community in general to take something they have learnt back to help others in their original country, especially where they have litter everywhere or fill up the rubbish bin every week - I can never understand how some people put out over flowing bins each week for small families.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 

[Maria2590]

I supply stainless steel water bottles so guest can take out when sightseeing, I leave a jug of filtered water in the fridge. In my guidebook, I highlight was is recyclable and I leave a bin for recyclables. I don't supply travel size toothpaste or toothbrushes, etc (which probably lowers my review ratings) and I clean with vinegar. And even then, guests throw plastic and cans in the trash so I take them out and put them in the recyclable bin.

I can't control their water usage but all my lightbulbs are led. A/C and heating are central so they can't change that!

[Erica266]

I Supply for my guests liquid soap.

All my lights are LED 

When they arrive the tv, and all the non esential appliances are plugged of and i explain to them why is better to plug them off but don´t make it a house rule, just a suggestion. Most guest plugged them of.

I supply bags to go to the supermarket, (here they are mandatory, supermaket does not gives you )

As a house rule i ask them to separate glass that is the only thing that is recicled here, sadly in my city all other goes to landfill. 

As far as heating that is the most dificult i live in a cold place and people are not used to, so even thou it´s central and i manage it if they ask me to turn it up, I do. cause i Know that they are not used to the cold.
I clean with all enviromental friendly products.

So i  try to make it as friendly to the enviroment as posible. some people are on board, some aren´t and some are just trying to adjust.

[Maia29]

90% of guests that visit Alaska are compliant to recycling guidelines.

As a host, i provide a Brita filter water jug to guests. We have excellent tap water here in AK. 

Tourists shouldn’t buy bottled water while visiting Alaska. 

I have visited many countries as a child in the 70s.

Morocco, Greece, Italy, Spain, Britain, France, Norway, Germany, Denmark, etc. 

No water in the world compares to Alaska tap or well water.