In response to a growing demand for eco-tourism, today many hotels, resorts and B&Bs are green-minded. This trend is slowly catching up with the holiday rental industry but if your property is not exactly a log cabin in the Norwegian Fjords and you haven’t go the money to invest in solar panels then what easy steps can you take to prove that you too are green-minded? Here are 5 tips to get you started:

TIP 1: Collect rainwater
To water your potted plants with (plus green plants inside your rental will act as natural air filters).

TIP 2: Provide guests with a shopping trolley
So they won’t bring tons of plastic bags back.

TIP 3: If you have the space buy 5 bins (if you don’t invest in an ecopod)
1 bin for plastic, 1 for cans, 1 for paper, 1 for bottles and 1 for rubbish. Label them clearly (with large icons for example) so your guests have no excuses to make mistakes. Leave instructions on where to leave the bags once they are full.

TIP 4: Leave chlorine-free toilet paper & biodegradable rubbish bags
And if your local supermarket doesn’t have these demand that they do!

TIP 5: Provide green info
Compile a list of shops that sell local produce; give a metro-map and bus timetables to your guests

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Once you have done the above… show off!

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In your welcome pack (printed on “tree-free” paper of course!) and website why not adding a page showing your green efforts and asking guests to respect them:

In this property we:
* Reduce, Re-use, Recycle – the three Rs for green living
* keep potted plants to naturally filter the air
* collect rainwater to water the plants with
* use energy efficient light-bulbs
* clean with biodegradable cleaning products
* provide chlorine-free toilet paper & biodegradable rubbish bags on your arrival
*…

What our guests can do to help keeping this rental eco-friendly:
* divide waste in the 5 appropriate bins
* use the provided shopping trolley so you don’t bring plastic bags back
* only use the dishwasher (on economy program) and the washing machine (at 40 degrees) on full load
* refer to our list of shops to buy wonderful local produce 
* please use public transport, we provide maps and timetables
*…

Do you have more ideas? Please post them below.