Why choosing Airbnb is the best for ecological impact

By Kelly Collins

When planning your vacation there are several things one has to think about. Location, budget, transportation, ecological impact…wait? Ecological impact? Yes. While you are out relaxing and exploring, you can simultaneously help the Earth. From choosing public transportation to hotels that recycle, there are lots of options to help out.

Many hotel chains now recycle their left over soap with an amazing program Clean the World. Participating hotels are Marriot, IHG, Hyatt, Starwood, Wyndham and many more. The soap is recycled and distributed to places where there are high death rates due to hygiene related illnesses.

Another way to help out the Earth on your trip is to consider Airbnb. I know you may have hesitations about sharing a living space with strangers when you travel. Rest assured it’s not as weird as it seems. It can be fun and it is definitely a great way to lodge sustainably. So how does staying in someone else’s home, possibly with them, benefit the Earth? Airbnb Chief Product Officer and co-founder Joe Gebbia released the following North American highlights:

• In one year alone, Airbnb guests in North America saved the equivalent of 270 Olympic-sized pools of water while avoiding the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 33,000 cars on North American roads.
• Airbnb hosts also tend to engage in sustainable practices. Nearly 83 percent of Airbnb hosts in North America report owning at least one energy efficient appliance at their property.
• Less than half of Airbnb hosts in both North America and Europe provide single-use toiletry products for their guests, also reducing waste per stay.
• In North America, 95% of Airbnb hosts say they recycle at least one item type at their property; 94% of guests report that they recycle when possible.
• When staying at an Airbnb, guests are 10-15% more likely to use public transportation, walk or bicycle as their primary mode of transportation than if they had stayed at a hotel.

European highlights from the study include:

• In one year alone, Airbnb guests in Europe saved the equivalent of 1,100 Olympic-sized pools of water while avoiding the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 200,000 cars on European roads.
• Airbnb hosts also tend to engage in sustainable practices. Nearly 79 percent of Airbnb hosts in Europe report owning at least one energy efficient appliance at their property.
• In Europe, 89% of Airbnb hosts say they recycle at least one item type at their property; 94% of guests report that they recycle when possible.
• When staying at an Airbnb, guests are 10-15% more likely to use public transportation, walk or bicycle as their primary mode of transportation than if they had stayed at a hotel.

As an Airbnb user myself I found most of these statistics to pertain to most stays I have had. I usually pack my own single use toiletries just in case in order to cut down on waste. I adore my colorful collection of refillable bottles. They allow me to bring all of my favorite products where ever I go, all while appeasing TSA. When selecting an Airbnb location I realized I usually do pick a location in a great walking location or close to public transportation. I adore taking local public transportation and have used in it numerous locations like California, Cuba, Washington D.C., and other places all over the world.

Now let’s go back to the option to share a living space with a stranger. I used to lean towards always wanting my own apartment/house. One time a friend talked me into getting a private room to save some money. I admit I was hesitant, but I did want to save some money for our city outing in San Francisco. Since our host was in the house with us she was able to give us live awesome tips on sightseeing, food, entertainment, and so much else. Other rooms were also rented out in the house so we met even more cool “strangers” that became our friends. Most recently I used Airbnb in Havana, Cuba. Not only is it a way to support the Cuban people, it turned out to be an amazing cultural immersion opportunity. We had breakfast with our host family on the rooftop each morning and learned about what it meant to live in Cuba. All of the food we were served came fresh from local markets. Literally farm to table!

Traveling allows one to live globally. Part of living globally is ensuring we are respecting our Earth and its resources for all of us who live on it. Next time you travel, take a moment to consider how you can make your trip more eco-friendly. If you still want to hold on to your hotel comfort choose one with a soap recycling program. Maybe consider public transportation instead of a rental car. Ensure you are recycling. Small steps can go a long way towards protecting and sustaining the resources for all. Next time you are thinking about a getaway give a thought to Airbnb and similar options. That extended vacation or trip may be more affordable than you think when you consider splitting the cost of renting a residence. Extra points for energy efficient appliances in your residence and don’t forget to recycle while you stay!