Your Feedback wanted! About greening AirBnB to support sustainability/eco-friendliness

[Ronald3]

Hi fellow hosts,

many hosts and travellers try to make their homes and travels more sustainable/eco-friendly.

Currently AirBnB does a lot of good stuff with disaster relief and AirBnB citizen, but to my information there is no activity in the field of sustainability and making hosting more sustainable/ecofriendly, displaying eco-oriented listings or support host to become greener.

I think AirBnB should start an effective sustainability initiative, like many other actors in the travel/hosting industry as part of their/our responsibility.

Therefore I would suggest a programm at AirBnB highlighting sustainable listings and help interested hosts to improve in this field by:

a) Criteria for sustainable features of listings (selfassesed by hosts and subsequently guests?)

1. Recycling and waste separation (@Quincy opened a discussion about that in the communities interests section)
2. Renewable energy use/solar
3. Energy efficiency (Building, Lighting, appliances, heating controls), 
4. Using of ecofriendly cleaning/interior materials
5. Ecofriendly transport/reachability
6. what else? (water, green building standards...)

b) Establish a kind of green host badge like superhost or business ready if e.g. more than 3-4 of the above criteria are met by a host.

c) How-to guides to help interested hosts make their listings more sustainable and also lower costs for consumption of e.g. energy, cleaning chemicals..

As I see these issues to be important to many travellers and hosts I would like to see more activity/support in this field by AirBnB.

Fellow hosts, what do you think about hosting and sustainability and which ideas/suggestions do you have? Or which support would you like in this field?

Would be great to read from you and to make AirBnB and our hosting more sustainable and be a driver of change to make the world greener 🙂

[Emiel1]

hello @Ronald3 ,

It is a nice idea, maybe post in in Host Voice for voting. Allthough i consider my listings as "green", my experience is it will not attract the typical "green" guests. In fact doing "Airbnb" is not green of itself, as it generates movement of people (think about pollution by transport). Allthough i encourage at least use of public transport. Best regards, Emiel

[Willow3]

I definitely work to be as green as possible, but in hospitality there is inherent waste of resources.  I think my guests like that I work towards a greener outcome (virtually no plastic, all bin liners, and single use items are compostable, and most items are resusable instead of disposable, programable thermostat, smart lights with LED bulbs etc), but I don't notice (even in my incredibly "green" region) any desire to assist me in those efforts.  I'm eternally surprised at the amount of waste my guests generate in such short stays.  And almost always, I have to resort my rubbish/recycling - even though there are seperate bins which are very clearly labeled.  I think that it is a great idea... I just wonder the viability of it.  

[Rachel477]

Regarding sustainable hosting criteria.  There is a high regard for the concept of conservation and sustainability here in Oregon.  The steps I have taken in this area are:

1.  Energy conservation:  Installed highly efficient heat pump system for heating and cooling. This was in compliance with my local energy provider and qualified for state rebates.  The performance of this system has reduced my energy bill by 50% (no kidding) and has not compromised comfort. I also installed LED light bulbs.

2.  Food Sustainablity:  Buying local (or growing) produce, dairy and breads which are also organic. My guests enjoy home made treats and LOVE them!

3.  Environment Protection:  Using cleaners that are non-toxic and concentrated, no aerosol products. Purchasing soaps that are hypo-allergenic and in bulk, limiting amount of plastic bottles discarded. Recycling and composting whenever possible.  This has enabled me to be able to have only biweekly garbage pick up.  WOW!

I'm always looking for ways to improve!  I hope this helps.

Rachel Kyle, Super (Green) Host

Mt. David Home & Mt. David Guest

Cottage Grove, OR 

[Julie1785]

Hello 🙂 I am a green blogger and am currently working on compiling a directory of this type of these types of lodging (fragrance-free, toxin-free, sustainable,etc). It will be on varying levels and each listing will include the areas in which they are going above and beyond. Please message me on my facebook page, gogreenmamas, if you host along these standards or have any in mind that you have stayed at. Thanks!

[Ronald3]

Hi Julie,

sorry I am not on Facebook but have some green efforts at my listing

https://www.airbnb.at/rooms/10442459?source_impression_id=p3_1567407341_SsdckcMf%2F8oJU5D%2B

- We produce our power ourselfs with solar panels on the roof

- We have a nearly zero-energy house 

- We used organic building materials like local wood, straw for our house

- We inform on and promote and provide waste separation boxes in the house

- We inform guests about low fossil activities like hiking routes straight from our house or free public transport in the region for guestes and to ski areas

Great to read how others do it and that AirBnB is motivated to go more green!

[Audrey343]

Hi Ronald,

I completely agree that we need to push Airbnb harder to include some of these check boxes.

I think it would also be good to include check boxes regarding water, green building standards. I have done tours of ecohomes and they are extremely well attended. People are curious to see what eco conscious living looks like. So many still imagine it as hippy living.

If they don't step up we should start our own directory 🙂

Thanks,

Audrey Bayens