WASHINGTON, D.C.—To celebrate Earth Month, the American Hotel & Lodging Assn. (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.
Many Donation Benefits
“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,” said Sam Stephens, executive director of the Global Soap Project. “It’s a win-win for the environment, global health, and business.”
“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.
