Don’t Throw Away Partially Used Soap & Shampoo

According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, as of 2008, there were 49,505 properties in the United States with more than 15 rooms. According to Clean the World and the Global Soap Project, organizations that both collect partially used soap for those in need, approximately 250 properties are currently participating in their donation programs—much fewer than 1 percent of those 49,505. It is clear our industry still has a lot of work to do to stop the soap waste that is sent to landfills.

I first wrote about Clean the World a year ago. Based in Orlando, Fla., the nonprofit has made incredible progress. Clean the World—unlike the Atlanta-based Global Soap Project which collects just soap—collects both soap and shampoo for distribution to homeless shelters here in the United States as well as for those in need in places like Haiti. In a year in which our industry suffered one of its worst business years in its history, Clean the World grew from a few volunteers to 18 employees. The nonprofit now has more than 200 properties in 25 states participating in its donation program and almost 90,000 guestrooms represented.

Shawn Seipler, executive director of Clean the World, just informed me that his organization will be opening a recycling center in Las Vegas on June 1 and has plans to open similar centers in New York, Chicago, and Vancouver, B.C. Clean the World is close to formalizing an agreement that will see Harrah’s, one of the United States’ leading gaming companies, donate its partially used soap and shampoo to the nonprofit organization. Clean the World just announced a three-year exclusive partnership with Indianapolis-based Gilchrist & Soames that will result in the amenities company funding the expansion of Clean the World’s infrastructure. These are certainly exciting times for Clean the World.

Many Deaths are Preventable

I have not yet had an opportunity to chat with Derreck Kayongo, founder of the Global Soap Project, but hope to soon. My impression is that his organization is experiencing some growing pains; they do not currently list a contact phone number on their site. Soap donated to the Global Soap Project will be sent to Africa where there is a great need to help prevent illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhea. Globally, 9,000 children die daily from these diseases. Up to 65 percent of the deaths could be prevented by simple hand washing with soap and water.

In addition to being a socially responsible thing to do, donating soap and shampoo has environmental benefits and is smart business. Soap and shampoo exiting your loading dock in the form of waste costs you money.

I strongly encourage participation in the types of donation programs described above. Go to Clean the World and the Global Soap Project for more information.

GLN Adds SYLVANIA Lighting Services, Blu-Drop as Directory Partners

Green Lodging News welcomes Sylvania Lighting Services and Blu-Drop as Green Product & Service Directory Partners. SYLVANIA Lighting Services (SLS) can help hotels comply with tougher new regulations for hazardous waste disposal and recycling. The company’s national recycling program sends 8.6 million lamps to recycling facilities annually, keeping 113 pounds of mercury out of landfills. SLS will pick up lamps as part its maintenance and retrofit service contracts—ensuring that hotels are in compliance and removing liability. For more information, call (800) 323-0527, or go to www.sylvania.com/sls.

Blu-Drop makes it easy to upgrade from a standard toilet to a dual flush toilet without having to purchase a new toilet. The company’s easy-to-install WF-11C system is less than one-tenth the cost of a new toilet and can double the efficiency of an existing toilet. With the WF-11C system one need only replace the existing flapper and handle with the patented dual-flapper and dual-action handle. There is no need to remove the toilet tank. The WF-11C will fit nearly 80 percent of U.S. toilets, including older 7 gallon and 3.5 gallon toilets as well as most 1.6 gallon and 1.3 gallon toilets. For more information, call (301) 233-8402, e-mail smiller@blu-drop.com, or go to www.blu-drop.com.

New Online Video Sections on the Way

Green Lodging News will soon add “Vendor Videos” and “More Cool Videos” sections to its website. The Vendor Videos section will give suppliers an opportunity to post videos that describe how their products work and how they can help an owner or operator save money, reduce resource consumption, and create a more sustainable enterprise. The “More Cool Videos” section will be reserved for videos created by those owning and operating green lodging establishments, for properties that have been featured on news broadcasts, and for educational videos. Be sure to contact me at (440) 243-2055, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com for more information.

There are many excellent Green Lodging News advertising opportunities available for 2010, including ad spots on the website and in the weekly e-newsletter. There are also many Green Supplier Spotlight dates available throughout the year. If your company has a product or products it would like to feature in Green Lodging News in 2010, be sure to contact me. The 2010 media kit is available by request or by clicking here. Thank you to all of those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.

Green Lodging News Blog & Twitter

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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.