Sheraton San Diego, a Starwood Hotel

It’s been just two months since Starwood Hotels and Resorts chose to partner with Clean the World on the corporate level, and already some properties are experiencing terrific results.

More than 55 Starwood properties have joined Clean the World since that Earth Day announcement. The newcomers bring to 86 the total number of Starwood properties within the fold at Clean the World.

Still, with the potential of adding up to 500 branded properties to the Clean the World family, opportunities to welcome more Starwood properties improve with each new success story that is shared. So let’s keep sharing them…

Several Starwood properties stand out among the many in terms of soap and bottled amenities contributions to Clean the World. The top five performers for May 2011 are: Westin Diplomat (Hollywood, Fla.); Sheraton San Diego (California); Sheraton Sand Key (Clearwater, Fla.); Sheraton Indianapolis (Indiana); and Westin Denver Downtown (Colorado).

Several Starwood properties have stood out among the many in terms of soap and bottled amenities contributions to Clean the World. The top five performers for May 2011 are: Westin Diplomat (Hollywood, Fla.); Sheraton San Diego (California); Sheraton Sand Key (Clearwater, Fla.); Sheraton Indianapolis (Indiana); and Westin Denver Downtown (Colorado).

Westin Diplomat (Hollywood, Fla.):
Soaps collected: 8,055 lbs.
Bottled amenities collected: 6,110 lbs.

Sheraton San Diego (California):
Soaps collected: 6,979 lbs.
Bottled amenities collected: 7,270 lbs.

Sheraton Sand Key (Clearwater, Fla.):
Soaps collected: 3,337 lbs.
Bottled amenities collected: 3,295 lbs.

Sheraton Indianapolis (Indiana):
Soaps collected: 3,050 lbs.
Bottled amenities collected: 2,409 lbs.

Westin Denver Downtown (Colorado):
Soaps collected: 2,420 lbs.
Bottled amenities collected: 2,714 lbs.

Sonia, housekeeper at The Westin Copley Place in Boston

Not only are the properties performing well with collections of soaps and bottled amenities, but these hotels have also displayed much excitement for participating in the Clean the World program.

“It’s a wonderful program,” says Sylvia Butler, director of housekeeping at Sheraton San Diego. “We want to be ‘green’ in everything we do, but this just takes it up a notch.”

Butler says her housekeeping staff has shown a renewed sense of purpose since participation began with Clean the World.

“They take a lot of pride in the program,” she says. “When we made the announcement, the housekeepers asked, ‘Where does the soap go?’ and ‘Where is it delivered?’ They are really curious about the program and who will benefit most from their efforts.”

Butler is especially appreciative of what Clean the World is doing to reduce the amount of hotel waste, which she views as essential to promoting a cleaner world for the next generation.

“By recycling these soaps and bottles each day, we’re affecting generations to come,” Butler says. ”It’s a good footprint we’re leaving behind for our kids. Anything that we can do to keep trash out of landfills, we will do. By recycling guest room amenities, we’re getting hygiene items out of the hotel bathrooms and into the hands of people who can really use it.”

The Westin Copley Place in Boston, a recently implemented Starwood property, started its Clean the World participation with a bang.

Laura Schell, housekeeping manager at The Westin Copley Place, reports that room attendants collected 29 lbs. of soap and 25 lbs. of soap on the first day of implementation alone.

“If this rate continues” she says, “by the end of the year we will have recycled 5,220 lbs. of bottled amenities and 4,500 pounds of soap!”

The Westin Copley Place is the first Starwood Hotel in the United States and the first hotel in Boston to join Green Hotels Global, an environmental program that requires hotels to disclose their carbon footprint, energy consumption, water usage and waste generation associated with room-night usage and event bookings.

Thanks for joining the global hygiene revolution, Starwood Hotels and Resorts. We look forward to adding new Starwood brands going forward. Thanks for helping Clean the World!