Do you recycle?

[Quincy]

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all well!

Today I want to talk about recycling. We all nicely throw away our trash but have you ever thought about what could be done with all that rubbish?

Did you know that by recycling your plastic bottles, clothing such as fleece jackets and backpacks can be made and if you recycle metal cans, car parts and appliances can be made?

Most likely the shoes I'm currently wearing have been made from recycled materials! Amazing isn't it? 

Nowadays we have a wide variety of recycling bins although this might be different in each country. I know that there are bins for food waste, cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, batteries, steel/tin cans, and aluminium. Have I forgotten any?

I was wondering if you recycle items in your homes or do you have your own way of recycling? 

Here's an interesting video about what happens to recycling after it's collected. 

 

 I would love to hear your answers and perhaps even some recycling tips/tricks that you might have!

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

Hello @Quincy

Recycling is mandatory in Korea - we have very strict rules and are fined if rules are not followed. All homes are required to buy special garbage bags to use for waste disposal (for general waste and sometimes food waste) and depending on type of housing, there slightly different methods for throwing out recyclables and food waste.

http://www.korea4expats.com/article-waste-disposal-recycling-korea.html

http://www.korvia.com/recycling-in-korea/

https://nextshark.com/south-korea-reduced-food-waste-300-tons-day/

Here are a couple links for anyone who wants to know more 🙂

At home, I have different types of waste baskets that I've labeled for general waste and recyclables. I only ask that the guests just throw away their trash in the right baskets, so that we don't have to go thru the guest's trash picking out plastic bottles and soft drink cans from used Kleenex and candy wrappers. All (except our most recent) guests have been great and keen to make sure they GET how to recycle properly in Korea.

FYI - I live in an apartment complex with a separate area for trash and recyclables collection that is monitored 24/7 so if there is any illegally disposed trash, the management office goes thru the footage to catch the culprit and a fine is issued so it just makes sense for me and Henry to handle the actual disposal. For food waste disposal, each home has an individual rfid cards for the food disposal machine measures that how much each household throws out and we are charged once a month accordingly (along with other utilities).

[Quincy]

Hello @Jessica-and-Henry0,

This is a very effective way of making sure people recycle their items! I know that some countries here in the EU have similar rules as in South-Korea. There's a TV programme about a special 'environment' police force hunting down people who are illegally dumping or not separating waste.

[Quincy]

Hi @Marit-Anne0,

I hope you're well!

I thought that this topic might interest you as we spoke of the Great Pacific garbage patch a while ago. 

[Ronald3]

Hi @Quincy,

great to discuss this topic! 

In Austria recycling and separating waste is mandatory. Usually we separate into:

- Paper

- Glass (green and white glass)

- Metall

- Plastics

- bio/organic waste

The usully small rest goes into residual waste

In my listing https://www.airbnb.at/rooms/10442459 I have a labelled containers for all of these and I inform guests about how to use it.

This works fine generally, although different countries have different recylcing rules and habbits 🙂

But recycling is just one part of sustainability. Others are using renewable energy use/solar, energy efficiency, recycling, organic materials, local travel and many more.

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.

@Quincy and fellow hosts, are you aware of activities in the field of sustainablity within AirBnB? Is there a contact person already in charge to focus on sustainablity/eco issues? I would love to connect with, as I see  lot of potential in this field.

[Quincy]

Hello @Ronald3,

Nice to meet you!

I just had a look at your home and could see the solar panels on the roof—very efficient! The view is breathtaking too! 

I think your ideas are great Ronald. I don't know anyone specifically working in the field of sustainability within Airbnb, however, I can try and ask my other colleagues if they perhaps know. 

Thanks for sharing this!  

[Ronald3]

Thanks @Quincy for trying to find someone at AirBnB who deals with sustainability/green issues 🙂

I will post a more elaborated idea about green hosting, practices, possible criteria.. to discuss with fellow host and the community.

To reach more hosts I think it would make sense to post it in the hosting section of the community?

PS: My recent reply did not work, maybe due to connection problems...

[Quincy]

Hello @Ronald3,

Yes, I think it would be better to post your topic on the Hosting board :-). 

[JuanManuel40]

Hello @Quincy

The municipality of Playa del Carmen, Qroo. Has enforced Recycling, 

We do Separate Plastic, Glass, Metal, Organic and Inorganic. 

I have Placed some Labels at the Garbage containers of Casa Manolo in Playa del Carmen, the goal is to get all my guest help us to recycle. So far its been working  fantastic. 

[Quincy]

Hello @JuanManuel40,

Nice to meet you!

I think it's great that local councils are concentrating on recycling as it is very important. It's also a good initiative from you to put labels on the containers :-). How often do they come and pick up all the recyclables?  

[Kenneth101]

Very nice to hear that this is a broadening topic. We in Boston, MA have been recycling for years and the city government here has been working with landlords and other size apartment/condo buildings facility managers to ensure recycling rules are met. I recycle everything here with the city, then the residual organic waste into a back yard garden. We have a single style recycling waste system here and are not required to separate anything, just removal of the organic waste. I've printed and placed the city recycling page into my Guest Book Guide and walk through the contents of this guide with each guest upon arrival. So far so good, no problems and I am finding that most of my US guests are very familiar with the process and think nothing of it. My international guests are sometimes confused but it is cleared up quickly, no issues here.