How we helped the environment

Goodwill’s positive impact reaches farther than our community.

Goodwill is good for the planet. The Goodwill model has always been to reduce, reuse, and recycle. By collecting and selling donated goods, Goodwill extends the life of millions of items. Not only does this promote the health of communities by creating jobs and funding programs, it contributes to the health of the environment, keeping millions of pounds out of the landfill.

But what happens to items that don’t sell in the stores?

The creation of the Goodwill Outlet, where clothing is sold by the pound, has helped Goodwill sell more donations, even ones that don’t sell in the retail stores. If they do not sell there, they are sold as salvage to various after-market recyclers, who find uses for textile waste, old copper wires, and even single shoes. Many covered electronics are recycled separately, which recovers valuable resources and keeps toxic materials out of our landfills. The rest, about 20 percent, is thrown away. This includes items such as soiled mattresses, broken furniture, etc. Goodwill is constantly searching for more ways to shrink that amount.