Reducing waste has always been at the core of Goodwill’s work and mission.
Sustainability
The very essence of the Goodwill model — collecting and reselling used goods — is inherently sustainable. We extend the life of usable items, and optimize their utility by using sales revenue to address critical needs in the community we serve. When items cannot be sold in the stores, we recycle and resell fabric, metal, electronics, books and more through our salvage operation.
Goodwill is an important part of the global shift to a circular economy, focusing on waste reduction and resource utilization. In any given year, Americans generate over 254 million tons of waste that populates landfills. Last year, Goodwill Northern Michigan recovered the value in more than 6,827,934 pounds of used goods.
Goodwill Northern Michigan is embarking on a path to be a sustainable organization and to engage all Goodwill employees in the process. We are in the business of helping people through our mission services, while caring for our planet by reducing our footprint and generating revenue from green efforts that support our mission. We seek to continually improve our triple bottom line of people, planet, and purpose by:
Minimizing waste to landfill.
Increasing employee engagement in recycling and reuse.
Addressing energy, water, transportation, procurement, and other resources in an environmentally friendly manner.
Recycling and Reuse Operations
