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Going Green at Your Vacation Home, Part 1
Easy tips for saving money and helping the environment while maintaining your vacation rental property.
| In March, the HomeAway Owner Community team attended the Cottage Life Show in Toronto, presented by Cottage Life Magazine. After attending a seminar on Going Green: Practical Solutions for Average Cottagers by Leslie Garrett, author of The Virtuous Consumer and The Virtuous Traveler columns, we wanted to share all the great money-saving and environmentally helpful tips we learned. This advice is not only useful for maintaining your vacation property but can also be applied to daily chores at your primary residence. |
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Getting to your property:
It is common knowledge that vacation rental homeowners need to visit their properties as often as possible to check on general upkeep and potential maintenance issues. However, many homeowners probably don't realize the ways they can save money and help the environment just on the way to their vacation home or cottage.
• Increase tire pressure. This alone will help to improve gas mileage by 3%.
• Keep a well running engine. Taking care of your car can increase fuel efficiency by 4%.
• Replace air filters to cool engine. This quick and inexpensive task can increase fuel efficiency by 10%.
• Don't load up the car. When we add more weight to the vehicle, the fuel-efficiency decreases. Keep plenty of extras in your owner's closet to avoid packing the same things over and over on visits to your vacation home.
• Keep speed down. Avoid racing to your property, and use cruise control to save money and keep our air cleaner. If you're in a traffic jam where you're at a dead stop for more than 10 seconds, simply turn off your car. This is more fuel-efficient than sitting idle with the car on.
Last year, according to the National Association of Realtors, 64% of second homeowners purchased more than 100 miles away from their primary residences. As owners get more comfortable with the idea of purchasing second homes farther and farther away, it is important to keep these tips in mind for those that are still able to drive to visit their property.
Cleaning your vacation home:
While most vacation rental owners have a cleaning service or housekeeper, you might consider what they are using to clean your home. Did you know that on cleaning day the air pollution at your home could be up to 10 times worse than in busy cities? Perhaps you can talk with your housekeeper about using eco-products or even make some of your own.
Typical household cleaners are petroleum based, which contain toxins. Using a few simple and cheap ingredients, you can create your own products for your housekeeper to use (or for you to use while visiting.)
• Window cleaner: 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and water. Add a drop of dish detergent to remove residue from previous glass cleaners.
• All purpose cleaner: Castile soap (soap made from olive or vegetable oil) and water.
• Disinfectant: 1 tsp of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water.
• Oven cleaner: Baking soda mixed with water. Because it needs to sit overnight, this would be more useful when you are visiting your own home.
The market is sensing that there is real money in “going green.” All the major brands are rushing to the shelves with their own environmentally friendly-labeled products, so make sure that what you're buying is truly “eco” and not just a marketing tactic. You can quickly determine the recycled content and scan the packaging for a seal from a third party certification organization like Green Seal. If you can't use rags for cleaning, try to purchase 100% recycled paper towels. Also, double check products with vague terms or sweeping claims like “natural” or “environmentally safe.” If you have more time, you can even investigate the manufacturer.
For more information on Leslie Garrett and how to become a more environmentally savvy consumer, traveler and homeowner, visit http://www.virtuousconsumer.com
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