Nonprofit group works with hotels to recycle soap
2013-04-22 — /travelprnews.com/ — To celebrate Earth Month, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) is endorsing the Global Soap Project, a nonprofit organization launched in 2009, which has the dual mission of reducing waste while improving global health.
More than 1,100 hotel properties send partially-used bars of soap to Global Soap for recycling. The group recycles up to 7,500 pounds of used soap each week to produce up to 30,000 new bars of soap. The group works with a global network of non-government organizations to distribute the reprocessed soap and provide hygiene education to refugees, disaster victims, homeless families, and people living in extreme poverty in the United States and nearly 30 countries around the world.
There is no charge for hotels to participate in the Global Soap program. Instead, hotels located in and around Atlanta, Ga., can take advantage of free drop-off points throughout the metro area. Hotels outside of Atlanta can deduct shipping costs incurred when sending their used soap to the nonprofit. In addition, hotels can deduct the used soap contributions.
“Our innovative model means our hotel partners can save money on disposal costs and receive a tax deduction, all while helping people in need around the world. It’s a win-win for the environment, global health, and business,” said Sam Stephens, executive director of the Global Soap Project.
“Global Soap estimates more than 2.6 million bars of soap are discarded daily in the hospitality industry,” said AH&LA President/CEO Katherine Lugar. “We’re proud to endorse their efforts to improve our industry and make an impact on global health.”
AH&LA’s Green Resource Center helps drive hoteliers’ sustainability efforts that increase appeal to guests, and positively impact the bottom line. To view all of AH&LA’s green resources, click here.
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Serving the hospitality industry for more than a century, AH&LA is the sole national association representing all sectors and stakeholders in the lodging industry, including individual hotel property members, hotel companies, student and faculty members, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AH&LA provides members with national advocacy on Capitol Hill, public relations and image management, education, research and information, and other value-added services to provide bottom-line savings and ensure a positive business climate for the lodging industry. Partner state associations provide local representation and additional cost-saving benefits to members. Visit www.ahla.com.
The Global Soap Project is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2009, with a dual mission of reducing waste and improving global health. They work with hotel partners to collect used soap to be reprocessed in the Global Soap factory. The organization also partners with a network of global health organizations to distribute the new bars of soap and provide hygiene education to those in need around the world. Global Soap is headquartered in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia and is recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 organization. For more information about the programs and mission, please visit www.globalsoap.org.