There is a misconception that "going green" is time-consuming and/or associated with huge costs... But there are many small changes and steps that you can take to help your vacation rental home become more eco-friendly and self-sustaining! Check out some simple steps below:
1. Swap out old lightbulbs with energy-efficient bulbs.
Newer, energy-efficient lightbulbs such as LED or CFL not only decrease your home's carbon footprint but can also last longer AND save you money! Replacing old lightbulbs in your vacation rental is a great and simple way to go green in your home. Bonus: If it's in your budget, replacing old appliances with newer, ENERGY STAR appliances (such as dishwashers, washing machines etc.) also greatly reduces your home's carbon footprint and saves you even more money on your water and/or electric bill!
2. Install roller or honeycomb blinds.
If your vacation rental home is older and insufficiently or improperly insulated, chances are, you're blasting your AC during warm months of the year. One easy way to reduce the amount of time you need to run your home's AC each day is by installing roller or honeycomb blinds which trap the cool air inside and block as much heat from entering your home. They also work in the inverse way and can trap warm air inside during the cooler months, therefore reducing the amount of time you need to run your heater!
3. Encourage your guests to reuse towels to conserve water.
It's true that everyone loves a clean and fluffy towel after a shower or bath... But using a new towel after each and every shower can lead to multiple unnecessary loads of laundry during guest stays. Consider leaving small signs in your home's bathrooms to encourage guests to conserve water and energy by reusing towels (at least 1-2 times!).
4. Be sure to provide recycling options for your guests.
An easy solution to going green in your vacation rental is simply giving your guests access to the ability to recycle in your home! Be sure to provide guests with a trash bin and a recycling bin (at a minimum). To take it a step further, you can also provide your guests with a clearly labeled compost bin for organic products. You could also separate your recycling into three categories (paper, plastic, and glass).
5. Use eco-friendly cleaning products.
Switching to eco-friendly cleaning products promotes cleaner water runoff and less ground pollution. Be sure to provide your cleaning crew as well as your guests with access to environmentally-friendly cleaning products to promote a cleaner stay!
As environmental concerns grow year by year, many guests are becoming more and more interested in sustainable tourism. By going green with your vacation rental, you are beneficially promoting a change in the world that will move us toward eco-friendly tourism and vacation rentals!
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