Being an environmental host email

[Marcus21]

I can not believe I’ve just received an email telling me how to be a more environmental host and that this includes advice like

“tell guests you use olio..then they don’t need to worry about leaving food” 

whaaaat??? 

the best way to prevent food waste is not to encourage it olio! I have tried this app and really..for a one off air bnb..it’s close to pointless..I stopped as what I had to offer was pathetic/embarrassing ..Conversely I can imagine it would be easy to start taking pride in how much you’re  wasting using the app.. “I donated 5 loaves of bread to needy people this week! Go me!” again if youre attempting to be a green host you have little to offer on olio as you don’t waste food yourself  and you encourage guests who try not to waste food either, crazily we are probably the only people who are thinking about using olio..and we have no use for it! 

A lot of the advice in the email basically seems to be to green wash your listing so it has a trendy feel of eco hosting but none of the substance..providing beeswax wrap and not cling film? ...did it not occur that if someone is looking for a genuinely green let they aren’t going to be using cling film or looking to in the first instance! 

this is me speaking as someone who provides reusable water bottles already(with dedicated cleaning brush of course/even cleansing tablets) and reusable bags..and I’d say one in FIFTY guests actually uses them, plastic supermarket bags pile up even when there’s one there every trip.. by the end there’s two.. The bin is constantly full of plastic bottles..some are tiny/pointless..and these are unwashed and left in the middle of ..used sanitary items? Despite there being a dedicated labelled bin ..anyone like my job of picking these out to wash and  recycle them every trip..? No??

i hope guests are getting an email saying “how to be a greener guest” that IS needed!

If we really want to make air bnb greener..how about incentives for short haul trips? Or discounts for travelling without using air travel? 

or would that not be AIRbnb

this is the issue, we are all promoting international travel..making it easier..making it cheaper..it’s a bad thing I myself struggle with as a host.

encourage hosts to get in and make the changes that actually aren’t seen..don’t benefit us financially but really help..insulating your home? High performance boilers? How about a check list of these things like the one we have for hair dryers etc? When this is full..you get a little green medal next to your superhost one or your business ready briefcase..that would really set the bar. 

im not saying I’m doing enough..I’m not..but at least I’m at square one..I’m AWARE I’m not doing enough. 

I'm sure some people would say “hey! This is a start! It could never be a bad thing!” But really let’s not perpetuate guests, hosts, all of us thinking we’re on top of the problem.

real advice please..not promoting our “carefully selected business partners” air bnb. 

[Amie1112]

Thanks Marcus - we have been thinking about this for a while ourselves: there is a need for AirBnB to provide a badge for sustainable listing. We also do what we can, and often experience guests as not conscious of their own consumption (plastic drinking bottles!!! AAGH!!). Of course, we don't want to end up focusing on 'perfect' to the detriment of 'good'. But AirBnB can do more. Surely it can't be that difficult for them to roll out a performance criteria as they have for business travellers and Superhosts. As they do with those other categories, these could be self-rated but also guests can be asked to answer some questions to confirm if the host is meeting the criteria (i.e. solar power, reusable shopping bags, etc.). I have searched the Community forum and there are a few hosts who have brought this up (not many, but some). Perhaps if we come together we can put a strong argument to AirBnB to make the change that is needed. They announced their 'Ecohosting Meet the Experts' program in 2018/19. I am not sure if I am coming from ignorance of the complexity of the processes on their end, but SURELY it doesn't take 1.5 years for a multibillion dollar company to come up with a checklist and replicate an existing badge system?!? Of course, we would like to see AirBnB draw on the wealth of experience of Superhosts already putting energy (excuse the pun) into reducing the environmental impact of their guests traveling to and staying with them. Its not hard to imagine the massive impact that this may potentially have around the world to reduce the impact of travel on our planet . 

Another idea we have is for a certified expert to come to the listing and provide advice and guidance on further 'greening' the property; this could be either paid for outright or be embedded in the 'Superhost' rewards scheme, similar to the professional photography services they offer. At a more advanced level, AirBnB could offer a carbon calculator for guests to calculate and then offset the impact of their stay (and travel to the listing if they like). These actions can also inform and educate guests, and in doing so possibly affect their own future behaviours.

There are so many things AirBnB could be doing and it is time they started. In the meantime, we are going to add details to our own listing description to make our efforts clear to our guests and hopefully attract more guests who care as much about the future of our planet as we do. 

I know it has been a crazy year since you first posted this in February but we are keen to get this up and running so if you want to chat more please let us know. 

Amie (and Greg)