The Importance of Championing Sustainability
In today’s rapidly changing world, sustainability has become a topic of significant importance. From climate change and environmental degradation to social equity and ethical practices, there are numerous reasons why sustainability should matter to everyone.
In this article, we will explore the significance of sustainability and its impact on the environment and communities around the world.
Preserving the Planet for Future Generations
One of the most compelling reasons for embracing sustainability is the urgent need to preserve our planet for future generations. Climate change, deforestation, and pollution threaten the delicate balance of Earth’s ecosystems. By adopting sustainable practices, like reducing carbon emissions, conserving resources, and protecting biodiversity, we can ensure a healthier planet for our children and grandchildren.
Here at Clean the World, we do our part to champion sustainability through our Global Hospitality Recycling Program, which supports over 8,200 hotel partners. Through our program, we divert plastic bottled amenities from landfills and recycle, sanitize, repurpose discarded soap and, transforming them into life-saving resources for communities in need. Since 2009, Clean the World has distributed over 86 million bars of soap to communities around the world and has diverted over 27 million pounds of waste from landfills.
Mitigating Climate Change
Climate change is an existential crisis that demands immediate action, and sustainable practices can play a crucial role in mitigating this threat. By embracing renewable energy technologies, improving energy efficiency, supporting green initiatives, transitioning to renewable energy sources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, consumers can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future.
Through Clean the World’s impact reporting system, hospitality partners can accurately track and measure the impact of their sustainable, recycling efforts. Through the amazing cooperation and dedication of our partners, we have reduced nearly 11 million kg of CO2e entering the atmosphere!
Protecting Natural Resources Sustainably
Our planet’s resources are finite, and their rapid depletion poses significant challenges. Sustainability encourages the responsible use of natural resources, such as water, energy, and raw materials. By adopting eco-friendly habits like reducing waste, recycling, and choosing products made from sustainable materials, consumers can help preserve resources for future generations.
The hospitality industry produces around 287 million tons of waste annually, with plastic waste making up a considerable amount. However, hotels around the world are making a change in the hospitality industry and are opting for sustainable practices that preserve our limited resources. Here at Clean the World, our partners recognize the importance of a circular economy. These properties are actively turning trash into treasure by working with us to recycle their discarded soap and plastic waste into new life-saving products.
Supporting Ethical, Sustainable Practices
Sustainability encompasses not only environmental aspects but also social and ethical practices. Consumers have the power to support companies and brands that prioritize fair trade, workers’ rights, and ethical sourcing. By making informed purchasing decisions and demanding transparency, consumers can encourage businesses to adopt sustainable and ethical practices throughout their supply chains.
Clean the World recycles soap from over 1.4 million hotel rooms daily. This soap would otherwise end up in landfills, but Clean the World turns this discarded soap back into a life-saving resource for communities in need. To date, Clean the World has supported over 16 million individuals, highlighting our commitment to supporting the social element of sustainability.
Promoting Social Equity
Sustainability is intricately linked to social equity and justice. By embracing sustainable products and services, consumers can actively contribute to organizations supporting sustainable social aspects, encompassing well-being, equality, and fair wages. Therefore, consumers can ultimately determine a company’s success, which highlights the growing power that conscious consumers have within society, with 92% of consumers more likely to trust an environmentally and socially conscious brand.
At Clean the World, we believe that everyone deserves access to essential hygiene supplies. With every bar of soap distributed to communities around the world, we get closer to a more equitable world.
Being Sustainable Saves Money in the Long Run
While sustainability is driven by the desire to protect the planet and its inhabitants, it can also offer personal benefits. Adopting sustainable practices often leads to long-term cost savings for organizations, known as “economic sustainability,” where organizations take a conscious approach to their purchasing activities. This approach takes into consideration a triple-bottom-line “people, profit, planet,” which can serve to increase the longevity and sustainability of a brand in various ways. For example, hotels can partner with Clean the World to implement our Global Hospitality Recycling Program, which, at a fractional cost to partners, can provide many advantages.
According to the LA Times, the U.S. spends $200 billion on waste management and lost resources from trash disposal. By diverting waste from landfills and reducing the overuse of natural resources, Clean the World is working to offset the damage caused by waste.
Choose Sustainability Today for a Cleaner Future
Sustainability is not a choice but a responsibility we all share. By understanding the importance of sustainability and making conscious choices, we can create a positive impact on our planet, society, and future generations. Whether through small changes in our daily habits or supporting more significant sustainable initiatives, everyone has the power to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable world. Let us embrace sustainability as a collective effort and work towards a brighter and more conscious future.
If your hotel is interested in supporting sustainability objectives, check out our Global Hospitality Recycling Program today.
