Since the topic of waste separation is handled differently everywhere, it makes sense to briefly explain to your guests how to separate waste in your home. This requires little effort and has a great positive effect on the environment. Waste separation saves resources, and some materials such as glass, paper and plastic can be reused.

Not everything used to be better, but what was more sustainable in our grandparents' time was being able to shop without all the packaging at your local grocers. Whether it was cereal, detergent, or olive oil, many shops, such as health food/organic stores and so-called unpackaged shops, you can bring your own containers with you and avoid taking home a lot of waste. Especially for hosts who like to provide basic food and household supplies for their guests, this is a good opportunity to shop in a more environmentally friendly way.

Disposable items such as free plastic bottles, coffee-to-go mugs and plastic bags are a major problem nowadays. It's easy to avoid this kind of waste and conserve resources. If you want to make a valuable contribution to environmental protection as a host, it's a great idea to provide your guests with reusable to-go mugs, refillable bottles, shopping nets and fabric bags. Let your guests know tap water in your city is potable. Water in plastic or glass bottles produces CO₂ both during production and transport.

Whether bicycles, subways, or trains, the carbon footprint left behind by public transport is much lower than that left by aeroplanes, ships, and cars. Motivate your guests to take a cycling tour or use public transport instead of driving. This saves both resources and our environment. Explain to guests how to save on transportation, provide them with timetables, and suggestions on how best to get around your city or region.

When choosing your cleaning products, you can opt for environmentally friendly products. Vinegar cleaner and citric acid ensure hygienic cleanliness and shine and do just as good a job as conventional chemical cleaners. Their advantage: these agents are biodegradable and, as a result, do not harm our environment. Reusable sponges, which can be washed at 60 degrees, are a good and environmentally friendly alternative to plastic sponges and can also be reused for a long time.

Capsule machines generate a lot of waste. Whether paper, aluminum, or plastic, capsules aren't great for the environment. Unlike the capsule-free alternatives, they are even cheaper in the long run, as the price per pound of ground coffee is significantly lower than that of capsules.

Clean-up days when waste is voluntarily collected are becoming more and more popular and are helping to keep our cities clean. Make your guests aware of such events. Commitment of this kind relieves the environment and has a positive effect on cities and its inhabitants.

In addition to green electricity suppliers, you can also contribute to sustainability with energy-saving lamps, sealed windows and doors, etc. The same applies to your electronic household appliances. When shopping, look for appliances that are A++ or higher. This way you can save electricity and water. When buying, find out whether the device consists of individual parts that can easily be replaced if defective. This also saves money and protects the environment.

In order to ensure their energy-efficient use, it's helpful to give your guests a brief explanation of how to use your heating or air conditioning correctly, and to point out that they should lower settings when leaving your apartment.

Before buying a new refrigerator or washing machine, check in advance whether the appliance can be repaired cost-effectively. This protects the environment.