Do you know what happens to the hygiene products that are left behind in hotel bathrooms? You know, the complimentary bottles of shampoo and soap that are always sitting out on the sink for travelers to use?
While it may not surprise you to know that many hotels simply throw these products away, even if they’ve barely been used, it is pretty shocking to think about how much waste accumulates in landfills from these products.
Recently, I had the opportunity to volunteer with my Orlando Co-Hearts from Southwest and AirTran at Clean the World—a nonprofit organization that reclaims and recycles soap and other hygiene products from hotels across North America. Clean the World collects these items and redistributes them all over the world, providing families with the tools to combat infections and illnesses in communities with high death rates. We spent our day sorting more than 7,000 pounds of hygiene products, boxed more than 1,000 bars of soap, and labeled more than 4,000 bags of supplies for Clean the World.
Our volunteering didn’t stop with Clean the World. Team Orlando also had the opportunity to help the environment by partnering with Green Up Orlando. This organization works to reclaim degraded land for Orlando Parks and Recreation. On a recent sunny morning, we planted more than 30 trees in a beautiful downtown park. Other members of the community also volunteered with us, including students from a local school district. I’m already looking forward to watching these trees grow—it will be a great reminder of how we can make a difference where we live.
Everyone at Southwest knows that Employees who value Teamwork and give From the Heart can accomplish great things. It felt great to give back to my community and the environment, and I can’t wait to share the LUV with my Fellow Employees again soon!
... View more
