The program to which you're referring is from a non-profit called Clean the World, which was founded in February, 2009 with a twofold mission: 1) To collect and recycle soap and shampoo products discarded by the hospitality industry every day; 2) To distribute these and other donated cleansing products to impoverished people around the world and help reduce the number of preventable deaths and incidents of illness simply but effectively via the introduction of better hygiene.
The program has participating partners all over the nation, but Las Vegas is a particular "hub" and is home to a Recycling Operation Center (ROC), a facility that acts as a communal collecting point for gently used hotel amenities from all over the western region of the United States. It also serves as a distribution point, both domestically and abroad, for recycled soaps and bottled amenities. It's actually located very close to the Las Vegas Advisor office building, at 3111 S. Valley View Blvd., Suite L-115, and they're always on the lookout for local volunteers. Drop a line to [email protected] if you're interested in helping out and would like more details.
Caesars Entertainment, owners of Harrah's Rincon, has long put a significant emphasis on eco-friendly initiatives, with its Code Green program (which as much involves the work of employees taking steps "from the ground up," as it does corporate initiatives -- click the link to follow the blog), as do several other major casino groups, including MGM Resorts International and Las Vegas Sands (owner of the Venetian and Palazzo).
As far as Clean the World is concerned, participating properties in the Las Vegas area include: Hampton Inn & Suites (Henderson); Wingate by Wyndham (Henderson); Bally's; Best Western Plus Casino Royale; Caesars Palace; Encore; Flamingo; Four Seasons; Harrah's; Mandarin Oriental; Marriott Grand Chateau; Paris; Planet Hollywood; Rio; SpringHill Suites; Palazzo; The Quad; Venetian; The Westin; Travelodge; and Wynn. The Las Vegas Convention Center is also a participant in the program.
All of Caesars Entertainment's U.S. properties collect and donate and, since introducing the program to Las Vegas, the company's hotels here have recycled an average of 50 tons of hygiene products a year. The Caesars Foundation donated $400,000 to open the ROC here. Since Clean the World was founded in '09, 1,200 hotel partners in North America have joined the program and together have collected 660 tons of soap, which have been recycled into nearly 9 million bars and redistributed in the U.S. and 45 other countries.
Clean the World is just one among myriad recycling efforts and sustainable initiatives in Las Vegas; for more information about eco-friendly options, check out our Las Vegas Green Guide, where you'll find information about restaurants, activities, and hotels that are actively embracing concepts including sustainable fishing practices, local sourcing of products, recycling, conservation, and catering to those with special dietary needs. For more news and updates, of interest both to locals and visitors, follow @GreenVegas on Twitter.
