RECYCLING SOAP. SAVING LIVES.
What happens to those bars of soap after you check out of a hotel?
Shawn Seipler asked himself this question nine years ago, during a time when he was traveling for work four days a week. After further research, Seipler discovered that more than 2 million bars of hotel soap are thrown away every day in the United States alone. At the time, 9,000 children, 3 million annually, died every day from acute respiratory infection (pneumonia) and diarrheal disease (cholera, dysentery), illnesses that could be prevented by up to 65% through regular handwashing with bar soap. This inspired him to act, and Clean the World was born. Clean the World collects and recycles soap and bottled amenities discarded every day by the hospitality industry. Through the distribution of these and other donated products to impoverished people, Clean the World prevents millions of hygiene-related deaths each year. Since 2009, Clean the World has distributed more than 40 million bars of soap to children and families in 118 countries worldwide and has diverted over 14.8 million tons of hotel waste from polluting landfills in North America. Currently, the company’s global programs provide soap and hygiene amenities to people in need coupled with proper handwashing techniques.
HOW CLEAN THE WORLD WORKS
Its Soap in Schools program in Kenya, for example, reduced hygiene-related illnesses by 60% and increased school attendance by 45% for the 4,000+ elementary school children participating in the program. Domestically, Clean the World hosts after-school programs and summer camps to teach children and their family members in the Orlando and Las Vegas areas how and when to properly wash their hands. Clean the World’s hotel recycling program has evolved into an industry standard for the hospitality business. Hotel properties put an emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by diverting waste and saving lives. Clean the World’s CSR program offers a sustainable future while meeting the needs of hotels and consumers. In 2013, Clean the World launched its hygiene kits, another CSR program, to repurpose all the hygiene-related items from hotels. These repurposed amenities are given to children and families at food banks, homeless and women’s shelters, and disaster relief organizations in the U.S. By hosting hygiene kit builds, companies create a unique team-building exercise for their employees while supporting a charity of their choice. During the Hygiene Kit build, participants assemble bags containing newly recycled soap, bottled amenities, a washcloth, specialty items, and a hand-written inspirational note. This program, which includes a standard kit as well as specialized kits for children, women and veterans, has helped over 1.5 million people. Clean the World, a leader in Global Health, is committed to saving lives through recycled soap distribution and hygiene education programs. With a record-breaking year in 2016, the company distributed more soap and served more people than ever before. They are graciously supported by contributions from individuals and organizations, through its Hospitality Recycling Program fees, in-kind donations, Hygiene Kit builds, and fundraising events.
2544 E Landstreet Rd, Suite 600, Orlando FL 32824 Phone: (407) 574-8353 Email: [email protected] For more information, please visit www.CleantheWorld.org
