Did you know that Goodwill is one of the greenest organizations on the planet? You may not realize it, but when you donate or shop at Goodwill, you set in motion a whole series of earth friendly activities. Think about it. Every item that you buy at Goodwill, and most items that you donate, are instantly recycled! The fact is, Goodwill was green before it became a buzzword, and we are proud to say that we have always been committed to preserving our environment. How green are we? Well, just take a look at these numbers:

In 2010, Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa diverted over 19 million pounds of material from going to the landfill. Here is a breakdown of some of the things we kept out of the waste stream:

• 11,696,700 pounds of clothes
• 615,840 pounds of shoes
• 333,504 pounds of cardboard
• 930,190 pounds of books
• 825,198 pounds of computers and electronic waste

For 56 years, Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa has been helping make Central Iowa communities more sustainable. As we grow as an organization, we continue to expand our recycling initiatives. Our computer and electronic waste recovery program is a case in point.

With our E-waste program, Goodwill employees and clients handle the consolidation and sorting of donated computer equipment. Suitable equipment is refurbished for resale, and the proceeds are used to support Goodwill’s mission of improving the quality of life for people with disabilities or other barriers to employment. Equipment that cannot be refurbished is responsibly recycled.

Finally, just as being green is about being environmentally friendly – it’s also about sustaining our community. By donating and shopping at Goodwill, you are investing in our training, education, and employment programs. When you do that, you are “being green” and a whole lot more!