Besides the millions of pounds of clothing and household goods that Goodwill sells every year, they also do a lot to protect the environment with the thousands of pounds of items that they can’t sell. Things that have salvageable materials they also sell or recycle, so that they are not only protecting the environment and keeping it clean for everyone, but these sales also raise money to help fun job training and employment opportunities to those that are struggling.
For instance, when Goodwill receives unpaired shoes, they sell them in bulk to Infinite Rags every two weeks. This shipment, usually weighing 15-20 thousand pounds, begins to be sorted and matched more carefully. Those that become paired are then sold in bulk to people who work in third world countries. These give people the opportunity to have shoes when they otherwise would not have it.
Just like the shoes, Goodwill has also sold 12 million pounds of clothing to underdeveloped nations at low cost so they can also have clothing to wear.
Beyond the shoes and clothing, Goodwill also recycles paper and cardboard, usually enough to save about 50,000 trees every year. Furthermore, they continue the sustainable practices by recycling light bulbs, recovering air conditioning refrigerants, and using donated tools and supplies.
Even things like plastics, metal, and leaded glass are recycled and kept out of landfills. By keeping it from there, they build more revenue and are able to do more for their mission and for the environment.
These measures aren’t just being carried out nationwide, they are right here in Williamson County. While several people donate directly to Goodwill store locations, they actually partner with the local county waste to have a Goodwill Express drop in every location. These express centers receive roughly 12 million pounds of items per a year, keeping it from entering the landfill.
Simply by being here in the center of our communities, Goodwill is not only providing for those that need, but also protecting our environment from the millions of junk that people could throw away every day.
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