ACRL 2011 joins soap recycling partnership with “Clean the World”

In an effort to promote environmental awareness, sustainability and prevent the global spread of preventable diseases, ACRL 2011 will work with Orlando based nonprofit Clean the World and the Philadelphia Marriott to collect, recycle and distribute hotel soaps and bottled amenities to those in need.

During ACRL 2011, the Philadelphia Marriott housekeeping department will collect the gently used amenities throughout the ACRL 2011 headquarters hotel. These bathroom amenities will be collected and repurposed using environmentally-friendly and hygienically-safe recycling practices. The recycled soap products will then be distributed along with educational materials to help sustain good personal hygiene practices and the spread of diseases.

Studies show that hand washing with soap prevents the two diseases that cause the largest number of childhood deaths globally - diarrheal illness and acute lower respiratory infection. The majority of these preventable deaths occur in lower-income countries where reliable sanitation resources are scarce and regularly-practiced personal hygiene is often considered taboo or impossible due to the exorbitant supply cost involved. With conference attendees staying an estimated 3,817 total room nights, ACRL 2011 could provide soap for roughly 300 children for a month.

ACRL is the largest division of the American Library Association (ALA), representing more than 12,000 academic and research librarians and interested individuals. ACRL is the only individual membership organization in North America that develops programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of academic and research librarians.