We riders have been lucky enough to stay at a few hotels during our trip.
Hotels are amazing –fresh sheets, queen beds, several pillows, a nice bathroom, and tons of new toiletries.
However, these wonderful amenities also come along with their own environmental footprints, and we’ve faced a few questions. In particular, the riders have debated what to do with the little soaps and lotions we get at every hotel. Should we open as little as possible, and leave unopened toiletries at the hotel for the next guests to use? Or, should we collect what we don’t use, and donate the rest to charity? Who do we feel more comfortable using our unused toiletries? Who do we think might need them more? Which action will lead to decreased consumption and waste in the hotel industry?
Dealing with toiletries may seem like a little issue, but look at all the stuff we’ve collected so far:
That’s 121 soaps, 33 shampoos + conditioners, 29 shampoos, 21 lotions, 17 conditioners, 4 shower caps, 2 shoe mitts, 2 vanity packs (I have no idea what’s in these), and 1 body wash! (A lot of stuff we’ve encountered and could have used, eh?)
But we didn’t use them. After a few debates, the majority of us (although I should note here, NOT all of us) agreed to collect the toiletries and donate them to a charity in need (like a shelter) in Tucson, at the end of our trip. We have already identified a few charities that have indicated their need for shampoo, lotion, and soap.
2½ more weeks to go. I’m betting we can top 200 soaps.
By: Sapna Thottathil
1 comments:
Wow, with that much toiletries collected from the hotels during your travel, you can earn some decent money on the e-bay :) Just kidding, what u all do by donating it, is the right thing to do.
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