Recycle-Compost Communication

[Chris-and-Janna0]

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? 

[Sarah977]

@Caroline70  I would make sure to put "Guests must separate garbage, food waste and recyclables into appropriate bins." under House Rules. (In addition to making it clear in the house) Guests who fail to do this can then be given low stars for adherence to house rules.

[Darragh1]

So I did a couple of things to fix the recycling/garbage issue.

1. I do welcome check-ins and make sure they know where the fire extinguisher is (most important thing, really), and then let them know recycling instructions, garbage etc are all by the fridge (see below).
2. Next, I made signage for my bins, as well as printed off instruction from our city municipality. But to bring the point home, I tell them I don't want to charge a $25 improper disposal fee. It's turned out great! Hope this helps 🙂

[Stephanie]

@Darragh1 , I hope you don't mind but I've rotated your images so we they are straight 🙂

[Darragh1]

Thank you! They got uploaded wrong for some reason...

[Joy283]

I used to send a "saved message" to guests explaining where to leave their recyclables, but I do understand that traveling makes the whole thing a bit more challenging. So finally, I surrenderred and went with a "single stream" trash collection company that has a state of the art center where they actuallly pay people to pull the recyclables out of the stream (as well as some cool auotmation machinery). If it was just me, I would continue to sort and cart the separate bins to the reccycling centerr myself, but honestly it is complicated in our town (two differrent kinds of glass, but cans and plastic go together).  After just a month of the new system, I know I'm not going back. You may not have this choice in your town (we have only private companies and several of them), but if you do, I suggest giving it a try. P.S. I do not use shopping bags other than reusable, reusable paper towels, recycled toilet paper, etc. I am very conscious of the environment, but I also want to make things easy for my guests as they travel. And p.p.s. I do encourage/require guest to use the compost bin, which I keep in the refrigerator to prevent attracting ants. Everyone seems to want to use it.

[Caroline70]

Sadly we do not have this option. However, I have done much better since I put a laminated sheet right on the worktop by the bins explaining the recycling. I also emphasise the food recycling over the rest, I can sort plastic and tins when they can't be bothered but it is truly horrendous having to pick through dustbin bags to get the food items out. I also added to to house rules as another contributor suggested. I do. Something has worked!

[Colleen426]

Hello,  so we've covered the 'inside the airbnb' what happens when your guest fills your trash can with garbage from his drive to your home?  Our trash goes every two weeks.  In one moment we had an empty can, just picked up, an hour later it was full of recycle and food from every restaurant from Calgary to Vancouver island.  I emptied the can and sorted it all.  Five days later.....same thing happened.  He went with a group for a week.....came home ... filled my can.  Augh !!!  So I wrote and explained the issue, again. No response.  I'm sure the house rules weren't read.   The comment about the secret message is great.  'When you finish reading the house rules, send a message to me...."I love the beach".  We will see if that works.  Cheers.