Travel Agent recently met with Kini Parente, director of marketing for Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle, a decidedly eco-conscious upscale property in a very eco-conscious city. (The whole neighborhood that houses the hotel is working to become LEED-certified.) The hotel has partnered with Clean The World, an organization that takes used soaps, shampoos and conditioners from hotel rooms, cleans and disinfects them and then distributes the amenities to developing countries or to domestic shelters. It's a terrific alternative to throwing away the used material, and a great way for travelers to feel like they're helping to make the world a better place just by staying in a specific hotel.
And clearly, the idea is spreading. USA Today is now reporting that the Starwood hotel chain has also partnered with Clean The World, and estimates that 1.6 million pounds of soap (that's 800 tons) may be recycled from all of the brand's hotels in North America alone in just one year. (The agreement will involve up to 500 North American Starwood properties.)
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