Recycle-Compost Communication

Recycle-Compost Communication

We host in Seattle where recycling is the law and we can be fined for improper disposal. We are a green friendly home and explain in our profile. We also remind guests at check in, and encourage them to ask if there is any confusion. We have detailed instructions in the unit on how to recycle and compost, but still get people carelessly throwing recycles into landfill and landfill into recycles. We list composting as optional as it can be more confusing. I am constantly having to seperate trash which is a huge hosting frustration. Any tips on communicating this effectively? 

21 Replies 21
Susan151
Level 10
Somerville, MA

@Chris-and-Janna0. Unless the guests are German, I just assume that I will have to separate their recyclables from the trash. I used to have two bins; one for trash, the other for recyclables and it was an unmitigated disaster. I had no idea that in 2018 there would be people who have NEVER recycled. It is not the law here, but there is no reason for cans and bottles to go into a landfill.

 

I don't consider this a frustration since there is nothing I can do about it. I have just added it to my mental list of "things I have to do as a host." Changing my mindset was the only way for me to manage my own emotions.

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

LOL @Susan151!  Nice  to know we can still rely on the Germans to do things properly! (Helen, B.A Hons. German, so warmly meant!)

Yes, Germans guests recycle automatically as do the English. So far, not our Irish guests!

We were intrigued by the open recycling boxes in the UK where everyone could see if you had got it right and our host's 4 year old who explained 'How to do it'. She was surprised that Aussies understood.

However, although we don't have bin police yet, it is frustrating when there are instructions in our letter, official notices on the fridge with the main reasons to separate rubbish. Yet, recyclables with food, in a tightly tied plastic bag, are flung into the landfill bin. 

Occasionally a gem of a guest really tries to join us in separating food for worms and compost.

We produce aluminium here but ancient trees are felled to access it and it is expensive to mine, yet so easy to recycle.

It must seem weird but we try to explain our water is safe to drink so there is no need to buy water.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Chris-and-Janna0 Are your bins for the various items clearly marked? If not, I'd suggest you try taping a large sign on each- Metal, plastic, cardboard, with either a big picture of the item, like you're dealing with 5 year-olds, or even attaching a sample on the outside of the bin, like a tin can or a plastic bottle. If it all goes in one bin, do the same but with all items.

Maybe that would help.

Suzanne302
Level 10
Wilmington, NC

@Sarah977has a great suggestion. In the room I rent out I have a small trash can and then another small plastic trash can with a huge "recycle" symbol and in big, bold letters it says, "Plastic, Glass, Aluminum."

 

I get the occasional mixup, but for the most part it has worked like a charm so far!

Martin-Kevin0
Level 2
Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

Before each arrival we ask our guests to read the house manual, where it explains a few things including the separation of recycling, garbage and compost. We have a little “trick” that on the end of the house manual it says: “if you read the whole manual send us a message saying: “I LOVE THE BEACH”.  So when the guests are coming I already know who did or didn’t read the manual. 

Anyways, when they arrive, I show them the different trashcans and containers for separating their garbage. I also tell them how difficult is for me to separate every item if they won’t respect our request. Also, if they don’t separate I don’t give them a very good review. We ask for very little things, and separating is the most important one. 

 

HannahyMartín0
Level 4
Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

Before each arrival we ask our guests to read the house manual, where it explains a few things including the separation of recycling, garbage and compost. We have a little “trick” that on the end of the house manual it says: “if you read the whole manual send us a message saying: “I LOVE THE BEACH”.  So when the guests are coming I already know who did or didn’t read the manual. 

Anyways, when they arrive, I show them the different trashcans and containers for separating their garbage. I also tell them how difficult is for me to separate every item if they won’t respect our request. Also, if they don’t separate I don’t give them a very good review. We ask for very little things, and separating is the most important one. 

Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

Thankyou @Chris-and-Janna0 for bringing up this topic and thanks to @Sarah977 for reminding me that I have been meaning to do exactly this! I have FOUR separate bins under my sink - general recyclables (cans, glass, paper, hard plastics), soft scrunchable plastics (our local supermarkets now have bins to recycle these), compostable waste, and landfill rubbish. Like @Susan151, a great many of my guests, especially those from Asia, have never recycled in their life and have absolutely no idea what to do, so I have to separate all the rubbish after they have gone. I do try to explain it to them when they arrive but it is usually information overload!

 

I have now added to my list of things to do today to stick labels on all of my bins - and @Sarah977, great idea to use pictures!

 

Haha, @Martin-Kevin0, love the 'secret code' at the end of your house manual!

Actually @Kath among Asian countries Korea and Japan have been recycling for quite a long time.

 

http://seoulspace.com/2016/08/10/waste-disposal-recycling-in-korea/

 

My experience is that when it comes to recycling, guests (not just ABB guests but also people I meet for work) from the U.S. and Europe with the exception of Germany have usually been the most clueless 🙂 

 

We also have 2 bins for guests - general waste and recycling - so Henry usually does the sorting later. 

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Kath9@Chris-and-Janna0   I was also thinking that it would be good to tape a laminated notice or paint on the garbage can, especially if it has a lid, you could do it on that, those universal symbols for no-nos- the picture in the middle of a circle with a red line across it. That way, they'll be more likely to stop in mid-toss. So many people are just used to throwing everything in the garbage that it's not a conscious process.

Pawing through the garbage can to separate the recyclables isn't only a yucky rubber glove job, especially if there's food in there- it's also dangerous. You could have a guest who's diabetic and has to give themselves insulin shots every day, like my grandfather did, and they've tossed the used needles in the garbage can.

I have 2 trash bins (recycle and trash) and often have to sort through bc they don't know what is what. I may have to put up signs to explain. It's not a huge nuisance for me but understandable if you get fined for not having the right things in the right bins.

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Sarah977and me always think the same :)))

 

Big pictures above the bins, like for 5-year old and all guests will understand.

 

We have an OPEN shopping bag for PET and glass bottles in the hallway but guests didn't use it. They have seen the bag and few bottles in it but didn't think about it.

Then I draw and framed a picture of bottles with arrow pointing down to the bag and hung it above the can at the hight of the eyes. 

It didn't work either ! 😞

Then I hung the picture lower, right above the can. Now it works perfectly :))))

 

Helen710
Level 2
Oakland, CA

Your local city goverment/council should also have stickers that you can put on your bins. They are usually intended for the outside bins but having the same one on the inside bins would keep things simple.

 

(I currently work in sustainable waste for a local government in Bondi Beach, Sydney and we are looking at ways to engage AirBnB travellers with the local recycling program. Your ideas are very useful, so thank you)

 

Helen

Caroline70
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

Thank you for this discussion. We host in Somerset, in the UK, and I have tried everything (except pictures) to get guests to comply with recycling requests. I have bins under the sink and big labelled bins outside. We have to recycle food waste, and we are not allowed to put food waste in the general rubbish (trash) bins. After almost every guest, and particularly dreadful this Christmas, I find guests just ignore these requests and shove everything from half empty cartons of milk to turkey carcasses in the waste. I do not believe they have misunderstood, I think they just don't want to do it.

I will try pictures and changing my mindset while I am sorting through their rubbish. However, what do people think about a recycling feedback button which we could score guests on alongside the others. It seems an important topic and if it became ratable, guests might pay attention to our instructions?

If the host can re sort the rubbish then that solves the problem temporarily, but absent hosts may inadvertently be sending all sorts of recyclable items into landfill and otherwise contaminating local collection services. It would nice to put a stop to that as a global community.

What do you think?