In 2018, when I began sharing my home in the Outer Banks of North Carolina via Airbnb hosting, I talked with other hosts in the area to understand how to efficiently prepare for guests. Many tips referred me to the Dollar Tree or Walmart, where I could get cleaning products and supplies at bargain prices. I headed to the store, walked the aisles and considered purchasing common household products, such as Palmolive and Softsoap, and I realized, this isn’t me. I thought, if I’m going to be sharing my home with others, I should be sharing my way of life with others. I left the dollar store, returned home, and started brainstorming how I could create an Airbnb hosting experience that would not only offer eco-friendly options, but also inspire my guests to consider using these options in their own homes.
Here are 10 ways I’ve created an eco-friendly Airbnb stay for my guests, which are inspiring ideas for Airbnb hosts or anyone seeking a more eco-friendly household.
10 Tips for Creating a More Eco-Friendly Airbnb
Encourage recycling
Offer separate bins for Recycling and Trash inside the home. In the Outer Banks, where I live and host Airbnb stays, there’s a paid curbside service that collects our recycling. Joining the program is very affordable, which makes this an easy option to offer guests.
Choose upcycled goods and handmade crafts
Rather than purchasing cheap new furniture, decor and household items that probably wouldn’t last, I purchased quality used items and handmade goods from artisans to create a unique and eclectic living space. A lot of my furniture was purchased at local thrift stores and then fixed up and painted. One of my Airbnbs even uses the vintage Corelle dishes that I ate off of as a child. I’ve never found another set of dishes as durable and it just so happened I could match the pattern and buy additional pieces when I searched enough thrift stores.
Provide Reusable Shopping Bags
Living at the beach, plastic bags are more noteable environmental concern as we appreciate the magnificent ocean each day. A few years ago, the Outer Banks enforced a plastic bag ban. But it eventually was overturned and local businesses all went back to providing plastic bags. Offering reuseable shopping bags can help limit the use of unnecessary plastic.
Provide an alternative to plastic water bottles
Limit single-use plastic consumption by providing an alternative for clean and portable drinking water. My home and Airbnb have a water filter built into the refridgerator as well as a Brita pitcher. I provide my guests with refillable, reuseable water bottles to take to parks and the beach.
Offer Reuseable Food Containers
I stopped purchasing Ziplock bags and plastic wrap about 10 years ago and was challenged to come up with ways to keep food fresh and portable. I offer my guests glass containers for keeping leftovers and chip clips for storing snacks.
Use Natural Cleaning Products
Natural cleaning products (biodegradable and free of harsh chemicals) are more common and affordable these days and using them benefits not only the environment, but your health. It did take a little training at first for my cleaning staff to understand my commitment to natural products, but all the products are getting the job done. Sometimes we use Meyer’s cleaning concentrate and sometimes we use simply vinegar and water (for Covid concerns, we do also use disinfectant). We clean the floors using a steam mop. Another must-have is Charlie’s Soaps concentrated laundry powder (only a tablespoon is needed per load of laundry!).
Provide Natural Hygiene Products
For guest amenities, I offer Dr. Bronner’s for handsoap and Giovanni Eco Chic Hair Care and Alba Botanica. Admittedly, guests are probably wondering why the hand soap is so watery (Dr. Bronner’s says “Dilute! Dilute!), but I’ve never had any complaints. I am able to buy both of these products in bulk and then refill smaller bottles, reducing waste.
Use Biodegradable Trash bags
This is a little tricky. It’s actually really hard to come by trash bags that are made with recycled post-consumer plastic and are biodegradable. I happen to live in Mexico part-time, where these are very common. I have flown a stash to the States in my suitcase to use in my Airbnb. But if you aren’t going to Mexico anytime soon, consider reusing any plastic bags you’ve collected for bathroom trash. Meanwhile, when these bags finally become more common in the States, purchase them and use your consumer power to show your demand for more eco-friendly products.
Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
No excuse here, these are easy to find and last much longer than traditional bulbs. One swap out will last you years.
Killer Karma!
I ask my guests to be mindful of their plastic usage and to keep the beach clear of litter. I let them know that using the thermostat mindfully is appreciated. It’s not enough to just do our part, we have to encourage, inspire and help others. This is how you enjoy killer karma!