Save money & the planet: How to make your short-term rental property eco-friendly

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word green?

For most people, it’s one of two things: nature or money.

The connection with either comes easy: paper currency was green for a long time, and green as a commonly seen color in nature has become iconic in the calls for environmental reform. But drawing a connection between the two is not as easy. Or at least it wasn’t… until now.

In today’s conversations, the popular consensus seems to be that reducing our impact on the planet will be an expensive endeavor – but one we should pursue nonetheless, out of necessity and moral obligation. And that’s just not quite true.

Now, don’t get us wrong. There are many virtuous and vital reasons to “go green,” which you can read all about here. But we’re here to talk about how reforming your short-term rental property with eco-friendly ideas will actually save you money, and generate more bookings.

Get ready to make these three words your new mantra.

Approaching your short-term property rental with these values in mind will help you watch your carbon footprint shrink right before your eyes:

• • Reduce what you buy and what you throw away.

• • Reuse everything you can by replacing single-use materials with reusable materials. It can be done for almost everything.

• Recycle what you can’t use anymore by providing recycling bins for the proper disposal of materials.

So how can waste be reduced? Let’s count the ways…

With a quick glance around any average home, you can easily spot many items waiting to meet their landfill fate. These days, there are alternatives for almost all of them – plus plenty of other eco-friendly ideas for you to consider.

1. 1. One easy way to massively cut down on waste is to stock your short-term rental property with non-disposable utensils, dishes, and containers for your guests to use.

1. 1. While you’re at it, switch out those tissues, napkins, and paper towels with real towels to wash instead of toss.

1. 1. Add a garbage disposal to your sink, which allows food to go down the drain to the water plant, where the materials are often converted into fertilizer and the methane into energy – reducing pollution as a bonus.

1. 1. Speaking of sinks – make sure you have a water filter to help you and your guests avoid buying and throwing out tons of plastic water bottles.

1. 1. When furnishing your home, opt for recycled furniture to prevent such giant equipment from heading for a landfill.

1. Providing respective garbage, paper, plastic, and glass bins leaves your guests with no excuses to not properly dispose of their materials.

Recycling is a universal language.

There are also plenty of household appliances you can equip your short-term rental property with to turn it into an eco-friendly zone, and cut back on waste and pollution.

1. 1. With energy generation as the leading worldwide pollutant, one of the best ways you can make a difference is by setting up solar panels to source your own energy.

1. 1. Installing a smart thermostat will allow you to remotely control the temperature of your air conditioning, setting a comfortable temperature before your guests check in and shutting it off right after check-out – because let’s be honest, your guests will forget.

1. 1. Smart light switches let you turn off your lights from up to thousands of miles away to cut down on energy.

1. 1. If that’s not an option, replacing your plain old lights around the house with LED light bulbs will also save electricity (and last longer)!

1. A dishwasher will let your guests use your reusable dishes instead of disposable alternatives, without the dread we all know too well of doing the dishes.

You can even go the extra mile by suggesting convenient, nearby parking and public transportation to encourage your guests to abandon their polluting vehicles. And the list of ways you can turn waste into something wonderful goes on. Check out this recycling account and this surprise craft account for even more ideas!

That’s all great. But where am I actually saving money?

Ready to have your mind blown?

By replacing your light bulbs with LEDs, you can save an average of $150 each month.

By cutting out paper towels, paper napkins, and tissues, you’ll save an average of $760 each year.

Filtering your water without plastic can save you and your guests up to $865 in plastic bottles each year.

Of course, the solar panel switch requires a bit more effort than these other options. While there is the initial investment to consider, they will still almost (sometimes completely) eradicate your monthly electricity bills – saving you anywhere from $5,000-$20,000 over the course of 20 years. Take a look at this graph for more exact options and their calculations.

If they can do it, we all can do it!

And here’s some (waste-free!) food for thought: paying for things that wind up in the trash is actually paying for trash. Who wants to do that?!

The incentive is obvious.

Using non-waste, reusable materials means that you don’t have to buy new ones all the time. By reducing, reusing, and recycling, you’re saving money and saving the planet.

Let’s practice property management with a moral.

Guesty’s talented marketing team is comprised of passionate professionals who share insightful industry knowledge and shape brand narratives. By bringing a diverse blend of expertise to the table, we are the visionary architects behind the Guesty brand and innovative campaigns that help people understand our product.