(December 1, 2011) San Luis Obispo County, CA – In 2010, Central Coast lodging group Martin Resorts partnered with Clean the World (www.CleanTheWorld.org), an organization that works with hotels to recycle unused soap for distribution among developing nations around the world.
In just one year, Martin Resorts has recycled 2,605 pounds of soap – enough soap for 2,770 children for one month – keeping nearly two tons of soap and bottled amenities out of the landfill and getting it into the hands of those who need it most.
The program began at Pismo Lighthouse Suites after General Manager, Erik Mund, read about Clean the World’s efforts to ship soap to aid in earthquake relief in Haiti. It has since been adopted by the remaining Martin Resorts properties: Avila Lighthouse Suites, Best Western PLUS Shelter Cove Lodge, Best Western PLUS Shore Cliff Lodge, and the Paso Robles Inn.
“Our partnership with Clean the World has been a tremendous success here at the hotel and companywide,” says Mund. “Through the first three quarters of 2011 our hotel alone has contributed over 1,300 pounds of soap and 650 pounds of bottled amenities, which translates to nearly 11,000 bars of soap distributed to children and families worldwide. We are very proud to be one of the early adopters of the program, and guest response has been overwhelmingly positive.”
The leading causes of death among children under the age of five are preventable through simple hand-washing. Through their innovative hotel soap-recycling program, Clean the World has been able not only to distribute 8.5 million bars of soap worldwide, but to divert 600 tons of waste from polluting landfills.
The soap-recycling process is highly efficient, thoroughly sanitary, and surprisingly simple. Discarded amenities from Martin Resorts’ five properties are disinfected, sanitized and then transferred to a network of global distribution partnerships including Floating Doctors, Cap Haitian Health Network in Haiti, World Vision and countless homeless shelters, women’s shelters and missions in the United States. The organization has also responded to needs in Japan in the wake of recent earthquake devastation. “Each day around the globe, more than 9 thousand children under age 5 die from acute respiratory illness and diarrheal disease – the top killers of children worldwide,” according to Shawn Seipler, executive director of Clean the World. “Both are preventable, in large part, by washing with bar soap. That gives an added sense of urgency to our mission.”
Sources: Clean the World has partnered with more than 1200 hotel properties across North America and has distributed 8.5 million bars of soap worldwide. Over the past year, the program has made an overwhelmingly positive impact with the staff and guests of each Martin Resorts hotel, and integrates perfectly into the group’s culture of giving back.
From oceanfront hotels in popular Pismo Beach and Avila Beach, to a historic garden hotel in the heart of Paso Robles wine country, Martin Resorts has the perfect hotel to make any Central Coast getaway unforgettable. For more information, please visit http://www.MartinResorts.com.
