Beyond Sustainability in Short Term Rentals: A Journey to Zero Waste
Written by: Nic Etheridge Calder
Introduction
The concept of zero waste has become a crucial pillar of sustainability. It means embodying a commitment to reduce, reuse, repair and recycle to minimize negative environmental impact. As we confront challenges like climate change and resource depletion, embracing zero waste is a tangible way for individuals and businesses to contribute to a healthier planet. Our Short and Medium Term Rentals are stepping up to this responsibility, recognizing the interconnectedness of our actions with the well-being of the environment. While this is an ongoing and evolving journey, we recognize the need to make steps in our rentals beyond sustainability.
A commitment to regenerative practices
For us, a commitment to regenerative thinking and practice includes:
Rethinking how we produce, capture, store and use energy (moving to sustainable models)
Waste reduction (a move towards zero waste, reusable and low impact products)
Sourcing locally (where possible tapping into local markets)
Increasing biodiversity on the land we find ourselves on (including growing food)
While there’s more to regenerative practice than zero waste, let’s get into a discussion specifically about zero waste in short term rentals (STR).
A journey from single use to zero waste in short term rentals
Often in STR’s we find ourselves mindlessly using or offering single use products. In the past, we’ve done this as hosts in an effort to make things as convenient as possible for ourselves and our guests.
As we continue to offer space that feels like home, we’ve made a choice to shift increasingly towards sustainability and zero waste within our homes in the following specific ways:
The conscious sourcing and use of biodegradable products (and biocompatible, when possible).
Moving away from the use of harsh chemical cleaners and away from scents as much as possible, to scent free products (particularly to accommodate those with environmental sensitivities).
Making our own cleaning products from simple ingredients (reducing the need to transport water) which is a large portion of what is in cleaning products.
Reusable containers for body wash, shampoos & conditioners, sometimes leveraging refillable wall mounted shower dispensers and shifting to concentrated soaps
Reusable containers for dish soap, hand soap, salt, pepper and oil and adding foaming hand soap dispensers to bathrooms.
Shifting away from coffee makers which utilize single use pods (K-Cups & Nespresso) and towards offering coffee grounds and manual brew methods (coffee press, pour over & Aeropress).
Removing single use products from units, where possible. Note: we still offer toilet paper, paper towels, and tissues. Though we’re looking at reusable paper towel options.
As we’ve said, this is a journey. And the more we move forward in it, the more we’ll learn, adapt, and improve and grow. Part of the commitment for us is to continue taking steps rather than being frozen in fear that we’ll get it wrong.
Transitions take time and aren’t perfect
As part of the transition, we also planned to use up items we already purchased and to where we have Nespresso and Keurig machines, we retained them and changed our listing to “bring your own cups.” In the long term, we might get rid of them entirely, but this offers us and our guests a bit of a bridge so that they can make their own choices.
In some cases the large stores (like Costco or groceries) will carry sustainable and waste reducing products. We’ve chosen to use a lot of The Unscented Company products, knowing there are other options available and in an ideal world we’d source something even more concentrated (less water). In the meantime this checks a lot of the boxes. We take a harm reduction approach, we’re always learning and growing. We know things will change.
This brings up something we have encountered on occasion. We have had a few guests who felt some products were essential, for example: bottled water, pre-packaged cleaning products, sponges (they are actually made from animals). With any choice you make in your STR, not every guest will agree or align. It’s important to be prepared for this, and for us, it is important for us to state clearly why we make the choices we do. We learned, through this and other circumstances, to be as clear and transparent as possible within your listing description. That really connects to another important tool - asking for guest feedback. This goes beyond zero waste, but feedback is an important tool in understanding the guest experience. We ask every guest for feedback and take their experience seriously. This can help us to make our listing and communication clearer for future guests, and when people like and align with the zero waste approach, it helps us to highlight it as a success.
Feedback can also come from other members of your STR team. We regularly ask our cleaning team for feedback on the turnover processes. Thinking about how the cleaners will refill bottles, for example, helps us to design and deliver the best system.
Our vision at Hearth Home is to regenerate natural abundance and belonging. For us, this commitment goes beyond zero waste. It’s not about having no impact on the environment, but rather about shifting our impact towards a more positive one. That means we can and must make the shift towards reducing waste, but also means we go beyond that in terms of how we view and participate in the land and world around us. When we see how the land surrounding our spaces can be shifted to more biodiverse thriving food forest systems it is inspiring. And, when we realized that the world is interconnected we also realized that we don’t want to create waste that we wouldn’t want to see in our gardens. This mentality has created accountability – where possible we must participate, vote and act in ways that support our natural environment.
Tips for Zero Waste Hosts
Consider taking some of the following steps
1) Take an inventory of the products you use
Understand how they are currently being used by guests and cleaners. For example, when we went through this process, we realized that a good 10% of soaps and shampoos were disposed of because when the bottles got too low, they were discarded.
Get to know the ingredients, scents and single use products. What is their impact on the planet and people?
Identify if there are any single use products that offer little value to guests (single use coffee cups, disposable toothbrushes, etc.).
2) Do some research and check for green-washing
Biodegradable often doesn’t mean much. It means that it breaks down, but doesn’t speak to how long, how toxic or how it impacts your direct environment. In the city, we use The Unscented Company products and they specifically state how long it takes to break down in the environment on their website.
If you find yourself in an off-grid environment or gray water restoration system, we would strongly recommend looking for biocompatible products instead. This means that when the soap breaks down it actually benefits the ecosystem around it. We’re in the process of researching the best option for Hawthorn Eco-Retreat.
We look for products with as few ingredients as possible and commitments beyond the words biodegradable. We also tend to look at what companies may be owned by larger corporations, and sort out what their authentic commitment (or action) to the environment has been.
We prefer to look for Certified B corps when possible, because these are businesses that are about more than profit. With that being said, smaller local companies will sometimes not spring for that certification, so that wouldn’t be a hard and fast rule for us. Small businesses are important to the local landscape and we like to support them.
3) Do a scan of what is available locally
Where do you normally shop? And talk to your local refillary or zero waste store.
What deals are available for bulk purchases? What low or zero waste solutions are available?
Try to find water free or concentrated formulas.
Remember, most products will have limitations - this isn’t a forever decision.
4) Choose your for-now products
Purchase bulk items and put refilling stock in a locked closet or cupboard
Invest in reusable containers, and label them.
Foaming soap dispensers
Containers should be obviously refillable, or marked as re-fillable
Perhaps a wall mounted dispenser in the shower, or just refillable containers.
5) Communication & celebration
Tell your cleaners about the switch to zero waste and ensure they have communication about what needs to be refilled, what shouldn’t be thrown out (i.e. refillable dish soap containers might innocently be recycled by a cleaner if they aren’t aware of your practices).
Enroll your guests in this practice as well. Let them know. Update your listing description to highlight this and provide any clear instructions that might be relevant.
Celebrating small successes is such an important part of making steps forward, solidifying new habits and to a harm reduction approach. Take some time to celebrate the steps you’re taking, perfectionism just keeps us stagnant.
Tips for Zero Waste as guests
As guests, we can help make this switch as well. Here are a few ideas about how you can highlight this with your host and make your stay more zero-waste.
Bring your own personal care products. If you’re worried about liquids there are so many excellent solid products available now. Bar shampoo, conditioner, body wash, tooth powder, etc. Ideally, bring these items with you and avoid using single use small bottles (when offered).
If hosts have single use bar soaps, take the leftovers with you to use later.
Find the local refillery or zero-waste store in case you need to refill on any products during your stay.
Make an effort to put away and/or communicate about any products you did not use (i.e. extra towels and linens, etc.)
One of the biggest ones is to politely ask your potential hosts about their zero waste and scent free products. The more guests ask for something, the more hosts will act on it!
Conclusion
We’d love to hear from you.
What have you learned in your own zero waste journey?
What practices have you taken on?
What resources have you found most helpful?
Our journey from status quo to a regenerative model in Short and Medium Term Rentals is both a challenging and exciting one. We’ve explored specifically the shift towards zero waste living. As we navigate this path, we invite hosts and guests alike to actively participate in creating a more sustainable future. Embracing regenerative practices involves simple yet impactful steps: rethink energy consumption, opt for zero waste and reusable products, source locally, and encourage biodiversity. For hosts, taking inventory, researching products, intentionally shifting to refillable, reduced waste and ultimately clear and transparently communicating to cleaners and guests are crucial. Guests can actively contribute by bringing their own personal care items, utilizing local refilleries, and talking with hosts about zero waste. Together, by adopting these practices, we can collectively reduce our environmental impact and pave the way for a brighter, regenerative tomorrow.
