Planet Aid

Planet Aid is a non-profit organization founded in 1997 and registered under the laws of Massachusetts;^[1] it does business in 23 states nationwide.

Planet Aid's primary activity is the collection of clothing and other items through donation bins in public places.^[2] Planet Aid partners with local businesses and other organizations to place bins on their property so that the public can access them easily. The aim is to make it more convenient for the public to recycle and thus increase recycling rates.^[3] As more textiles are recycled, Planet Aid argues, there is less waste being disposed of in landfills.^[4] Recycling used clothing and shoes also contributes to reduced emissions of greenhouse gases.^[5] It also helps to save tax dollars by reducing the amount of waste cities must haul from residences.^[6] To help achieve its objectives, Planet Aid educates and encourages the public to recycle unwanted clothing or to otherwise repurpose them.^[7][8]

The Better Business Bureau recognizes Planet Aid as an accredited charity:

"In finding that Planet Aid meets BBB Charity Standard 13, which addresses the accuracy of the charity's allocation of expenses, BBB WGA considered the following among other things. Planet Aid's primary activity is the collection of clothing and other items through donation bins in public places. Part of the charity's stated mission is the protection of natural habitats through the recycling of these donated items. Planet Aid's position is that, by collecting and selling these products, it is keeping them out of landfills that have a negative impact on the environment. Based on this, Planet Aid considers costs associated with the bins used to collect items to be serving both a programmatic (recycling) and fund raising purpose. In 2013, Planet Aid split these bin costs evenly between both programs and fund raising. In view of the above, BBB WGA is reporting that Planet Aid meets this standards but will revisit this circumstance if there is a significant change in the allocation of bin expenses."^[9]

Charities like Planet Aid that collect used clothing sell them both domestically and on the international market.^[10] Planet Aid indicates that it sells the donated textiles it collects to support sustainable development in impoverished communities around the world. It also claims that since 1997, it has given more than $90 million in support of over 60 projects in 15 countries.^[11] Planet Aid also indicates it supports various charities in the United States through direct donations of clothing and other goods.^[12]

Planet Aid collection box, Dexter, Michigan

Nationally and internationally, Planet Aid is accredited by or is a member of the following organizations:

• BBB Wise Giving Alliance^[13]
• GuideStar^[14]
• Global Campaign for Education^[15]

Planet Aid is listed as a private charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax ID# 04-3348171

Planet Aid has regional offices located in the following areas:

• Northern New England
• Southern New England
• Upstate NY
• New Jersey/New York
• Philadelphia, PA
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area
• North Carolina
• Cleveland, OH
• Columbus, OH
• Detroit, MI
• Kansas City, MO
• Los Angeles, CA

International Authority on Textile Recycling

Planet Aid is seen as a leader in best practices for collecting, sorting and recycling used textiles. The US State Department sponsored an educational visit of Planet Aid's Elkridge, MD headquarters for a delegation of Russian recycling experts to learn how Planet Aid sorts and handles 100 million pounds of donated textiles every year and how they can develop similar practices and infrastructure in that country.^[16]

Freedom of Speech Litigation and Federal Court Rulings

Responding to what it saw as overly-strict regulations banning clothing donation bins in a growing number of cities Planet Aid filed a lawsuit against Ypsilanti Township in Michigan against a local ordnance banning the charity's collection boxes.^[17] In April 2015 a federal appeals court upheld an earlier federal court ruling that Planet Aid's collections bins constitute a protected form of free speech and struck down a local zoning restriction in St. Johns Michigan that had outlawed all such collection boxes. Since winning its federal ruling Planet Aid has sought to work with local leaders to craft regulations that address reasonable concerns about litter and vandalism while encouraging clothing recycling. Planet Aid CEO Ester Neltrup told the Los Angeles Times, "Planet Aid supports proper regulation because we are in this for the long term. We want to encourage more recycling of clothing in a way that works for the communities we serve. But banning all donation boxes was the wrong thing to do."^[18]

Opening of First Brick and Mortar Store

On October 1, 2015 Planet Aid opened its first Brick and Mortar thrift store in Baltimore as part of a pilot project expected to lead to more stores. The Baltimore Sun described the store as employing 30 people and offering "Tens of thousands of new items every week." Proceeds from purchases in the store go towards Planet Aid's sustainable development projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, such as teacher and vocational training and youth education. The store also serves as a donation center for people wishing to contribute items to the charity.^[19]

Utilization of New Collection Techniques

In support of its efforts to increase the percentage of used clothing that is recycled Planet Aid is experimenting with different collection techniques. In Rhode Island the charity now enables residents within a 10-mile radius of its Newport, RI collection center to email the local center and schedule curbside pickups of used clothing and other recyclables. A Planet Aid truck then comes to the donor's home and retrieves the donation.^[20]

African Development Work Featured in Skirball Center Exhibit "A Path Appears"

Planet Aid's support of Teachers' Colleges and education in Malawi as shown through the story of a young woman named Upile was one of the featured examples in The Skirball Cultural Center's multimedia interactive exhibit "A Path Appears" inspired by the book of the same name by Pulitzer Prize winning authors Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. The exhibit was created in collaboration with the WORLD Policy Analysis Center and the Global Media Center for Social Impact at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.^[21]

Criticism

CharityWatch criticizes Planet Aid, claiming it gives only 29% of funds raised to charity. They also note a broad discrepancy between Planet Aid's claim of spending 85% of its expenses on programs in 2013, whereas CharityWatch's analysis of Planet Aid's 2013 tax form and audited financial statements shows the charity spending only 29% on programs.^[22] However, the Better Business Bureau does not agree with the CW assessment, and has fully accredited Planet Aid as a recognized charity. "Planet Aid considers costs associated with the bins used to collect items to be serving both a programmatic (recycling) and fund raising purpose," explains the BBB on their website. "In 2013, Planet Aid split these bin costs evenly between both programs and fund raising."^[23] Planet Aid's donation bins and associated operations increase consumer convenience in dropping off clothing and are helping to divert such textiles from landfills. Increasing convenience is a key factor in improving recycling rates, and Planet Aid says it devotes considerable resources to making greater convenience a reality.^[24] While textile recycling rates have been improving in the United States, still only 15.7% of textiles are recovered from the wast stream, and 12 million tons are being needlessly discarded annually.^[25] Critics such as Charity Watch, on the other hand, note that it is unreasonable to assume that most clothing donated to the organization would otherwise wind up in landfills, increase taxes, and contribute to climate change.^[26]

Media investigations have linked PlanetAid, through its board members and financial dealings, to Tvind, a Danish organization characterized by former members as a secular cult and whose leaders have been investigated for fraud. Planet Aid denies any such links.^[27][28][29]

External links

• Planet Aid website
• Planet Aid

References