🍃‌[FESTIVAL] Sustainable Mindset 🍃‌

[Rose422]

Rose with Coco onboard Grace, Graceland Fort Lauderdale, founded by Rose in July 2021 at Cadillac Villa, a listed historic building, currently hosting on Airbnb.

Sustainability is not just a concept, but it has been more of a lifestyle for me, a way of thinking. Airbnb made it possible for me to promote that lifestyle within the community I have been blessed to be a part of. I was born in a small country on a silk road, spending holidays with my grandparents up in the mountains of Armenia, where we used buckets to fetch fresh water from a nearby creek and used copper cups to quench our thirst. At night we would hear wolves howling in the lush forests and dogs barking in response. In the morning we would go on an egg hunt with our brothers and sisters, while grandmother would milk the cows for breakfast and the neighbor would make fresh bread for sharing. 

Now the times have changed, apple and blackberry are no longer just fruits and a hard drive is no longer an arduous journey up the mountains. We are blessed to have technology at our fingertips, freedom of choice like never before, but we also have a growing responsibility to think and act in a sustainable manner. 

This morning my pet iguana savored the cucumber and apple peels that I diligently saved for her breakfast, looking thankful and satisfied. In the meantime, many property owners in the neighborhood hire exterminators to take care of them. These are two different ways of treating an animal, but one takes from life and the other adds to it. This is the approach we could take on daily basis, asking ourselves a question with everything we do, “Am I taking from life or giving back to it?”. While being an Airbnb super host for many years, I have only used two products for keeping sparkling clean listings, baking soda and white vinegar. While my castile soap solutions were not fruitful enough for laundry and dishwashing, I am still exploring ways to find the best concoction for various other uses. 

Following the global turmoil, Airbnb gave me an opportunity to make significant changes in the way I live and work, to be able to change my lifestyle and choices, live off grid and inspire others. I closed my Plus listings in California and moved to Florida for a search of a more sustainable life. I made sure to move my classic Raleigh bike with me, as I am an avid biker, cycled almost a decade in England and sometimes pulling up in traffic next to Boris Johnson, watching his hair get soaked in the rain. One time I hired a bike safety instructor and he recommended that I continue cycling in heels and skirts as it would be better for my safety. Apparently if the drivers were to see you geared up in helmets they would not be as cautious in overtaking. I am glad this recommendation is still working, as I biked for over half an hour today to get to school. I have been learning about seamanship and navigation rules to be able to run my solar electric boat and inspire others. I have recently set up a non-profit and hope to fundraise for a bigger impact, to raise awareness of mental health and promote a healthier community. 

In summer 2021 I booked an Airbnb using my superhost bonus to stay a few days in my favorite city for a search of better opportunities. It was overlooking a scenic private marina where I spotted a vintage vessel that was temporarily docked under a big lush tree. I took a picture of it from my Airbnb room, and a few months later it was a five star Airbnb with that same cover picture. While there are great many learnings on my path to sustainable living, I can say that I have been able to utilize solar power for electricity and get closer to the nature once again. I have been installing bird feeders, planting pineapples and coconuts and gave names to all the wild animals venturing in the space, from my pet frog Alfie to the beautiful bird Lucy and ducks that regularly pay me a visit. While I can catch fish from my backyard for daily food, as I also live aboard near my boathouse-treehouse listing, I have grown likeness to the puffer fish in the area and avoid fishing not to hurt Bella and her family. 

I'd love to hear your stories connected to sustainability, so please share them below. 

I would like to thank Airbnb and our community for promoting the sustainability culture and hope my story inspires someone out there.

[Rebecca]

Oh @Rose422, Coco is just so sweet!! Thank you for sharing your story with us, and you're right, being sustainable and environmentally friendly is a mindset and you've thrown yourself whole heartedly into it! 😊

[Rose422]

Thank you so much Rebecca, I would like to invite you and all other community members to check out Coco and stay in Graceland! Coco is getting too spoiled. She came on sail with me once on Gracy, jumped out in the middle of nowhere hearing a lawn mover (that she is terrified of!) then in a few hours she made it back home! I surely thought I lost her, as it was quite the distance to swim. Coco on Gracy

[Laurelle3]

@Rose422 what an interesting life you have shared with us. You have shared your love of nature and preserving nature with the surrounding wildlife as you have described.

You have shown that we can be sustainable in different ways from solar energy to planting edible plants and making friends with animals who come to visit

[Rose422]

Thank you so much Laurelle. Appreciate all the support and love. I know it's quite a long ways from Australia, but if you decide to check out the sunny florida, Coco and I will give you a warm welcome!