Exorbitant amounts of trash created by my airbnb

[Robbi1]

My municipality has a limit to the number and weight (3 bags, 40lbs. each) of trash bags a household may put at the curb weekly. We must purchase bag tags also. My airbnb is advertised for a maximum of 8 persons though lately I have had trouble with unregistered day guests and otherwise. Last week I had a group of 10 leaving 12 large bags of trash for 2 days! Another family had 3 toddlers in diapers. We had to get really creative to get rid of those heavy bags. I am looking for suggestions and am sharing something here as well.

Just today I added this to my "other things to note" in my listing.

"WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT LEFT BY OURSELVES AND OTHERS. Lately I have been haunted by the amount of trash my airbnb produces. Here is some information you may find helpful.

*The tap water is municipal and highly drinkable, especially from the filtered dispenser on the fridge. No bottled water required!
*Any returnable cans and bottles left behind, I like to donate them to our local hospital fundraiser. So keep them out of the trash if you can.
*There are cupboards full of dishes and cups - and a dishwasher! So disposables should not be necessary.
*There are plenty of washable cloths and towels so the need for paper towel is minimal.

*Kindly separate your clean recyclables. We have a great program here and handy bins.

*The fully equipped kitchen is perfect for cooking up a storm so minimal prepackaged meals could be an option.
*There is also the argument that being on holidays, one does not want to bother. My feeling is that you either do this as a matter of course in your life or you do not. I will not judge you"! :-}

[Ann72]

@Robbi1  I'm feeling it!  Not normally the kind of thing I'd agree with but your tone is so heartfelt, warm, and honest I think it works!  I might take out the cooking/prepackaged meals sentence, but I don't know, maybe that makes up a good portion of the trash. 

Also wondering if there's any kind of local composting effort that they could contribute to?  Or if you have your own composting pile and could encourage the guests to set aside contributions for it?

[Robbi1]

@Ann72 Composting is tricky. If you don't do it in earnest, most don't get it right. I do have hens and ducks and when the opportunity arises, I will tell of how they enjoy vegetable scraps (though I might half expect to see T-bones or tea bags thrown in there LOL). Perhaps you are right about the meals. Not everyone enjoys cooking but I wanted to be sure that those who do can take advantage of that.

[Fred13]

@Robbi1 Very cool of you to be that conscientious & try to steer others in a most friendly, palatable way. 

[Kath9]

@Robbi1good on you! We need more hosts to be onto this. Yet another thing that sets Airbnb apart from hotels. Well done!

[Anonymous]

@Robbi1  Your heart is clearly in the right place here, but if you're already having trouble just getting people to follow your basic rules on unregistered guests, etc. I seriously doubt you'll succeed in micromanaging people's behaviors with an appeal to their social/environmental conscience. I would definitely encourage you to make it as easy as possible to sort recycling - with prominent and clearly labeled receptacles placed more prominently than general rubbish.  But your input on what kind of food you prefer guests to be preparing may go down with some as unwelcome and intrusive. 

If I were the guest, I'd personally find the entire note to be gently condescending, though not to the extent that I'd leave a bad review. My question would be: if the waste situation is such a persistent problem, why are you accepting parties as large as 8 people? Just because the house can accommodate this many, does not mean that you're required to allow it. Your House Rules depict you as extraordinarily flexible on exceeding your occupancy limit ("More than 8 guests? Please check with us.") as well as pets, which I'm sure your guests appreciate. But the reality of your waste limits and septic system might make this degree of permissiveness impractical when you're in a low-vacancy period. It might be a good time to either reduce the maximum group size, or block off more gaps in your availability. And given the additional noise issues - especially in a time when illicit parties are on the rise - you may have to get more aggressive about cracking down on unregistered guests.

[Robbi1]

@Anonymous  My husband would agree with you on reducing the number of guests to 6. I have been reluctant though may be swayed. This is our fourth year and until now have had all superb experiences. Something has changed and I was not notified! LOL!

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Robbi1 , Unfortunately 8 people (2 full sized families in the year 2020) even being conscientious can leave a big pile of garbage in just one night- in a week, they can leave a boatload.  The CODB is at play here and GIGO is big business nowadays (especially the GO part of it).  There are things you can do to limit buildup that needs to be disposed of  but if the guests feel your squeezing to change their consumption patterns a nd habits as a price for staying at your place for 2 nights, it may not suit your bottom line very well.  I would suggest an additional guest fee should reflect the added costs more eating and junk buying produces is the best way to recapture it in a respectful way and make sure your explaining that in your listing details.  Stay well, JR

[Robbi1]

@Melodie-And-John0 As I mentioned in another reply, this is my fourth year. Something has changed and I cheekily say that I was not not told what! I did enlist an extra guest fee but then found that folks then felt unlimited extra guests were perfectly okay if they paid. I don't want more that 8 persons no matter what their age. So that is my new line, no day guests either without express permission. I don't mind if the game changes . . . but I would like to be advised so that I can then put things in place for my own protection. Thanks JR for your input:-}

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Robbi1 , When I mean "extra guest", I mean still within your max limits of 9.  For instance, in my 3 bedroom suite the first 2 people are a flat rate but every other person above 2 to a max of 5 must pay a $15 per night up-charge.    That encourages smaller groups to book by not being charged automatically for 5 people when they are only 2 or 3 and doesn't make our cleanout people (Melodie and I!!!) unhappy about cleanup after a party of 5 because they pay more.  It also means I might not get the full potential  booking fare every-time but I think I book more overall to balance that out.  My single bedroom on the other hand is the same price for 1 or 2 because its really about the same clean-out for either.   I hope that makes sense, stay well, JR

[Fred13]

   Interesting comments by you two @Anonymous and @Melodie-And-John0. We limited our guests to 6 despite having 4 beds and 4 separate places to stay - for environmental reasons. After 6 a party atmosphere tends to arise more often, and we would hate having 8 people trampling the beds of live coral around the island; so we provide them a method (equipment, entry, battery-operated scooters) so they do not to even have to step on it. Garbage is separated.

    During the intro we always kid  them with -'Do Not Be An Environmental Chibangee"- they always laugh, but really do take it seriously.

[Robbi1]

@Fred13  Yes Fred, I can now see how a 6 person limit would change everything . . . . . 

[Fred13]

It is a judgement call, no one size fits all; we just trying to do our part to soften our own  footprint.

[Melodie-And-John0]

Hi @Fred13 , I also limit the total, we just charge $15 per extra guest per night in our larger suite over 2 guests to a max of 5, that way I don't feel cheated on my low cleaning fee when the suite is maxxed out, 3 beds to reset, towels for 5 and 3 bags of garbage to go with it.  

[Fred13]

Oooh, you bring up a reminder. We have noticed that with some, the more we unnecessarily provided, the more they use; we used to provide 30 towels (4 persons/4days), they will use them all, because they were simply there. We have learned.