Trash Today, Track Tomorrow

Do you have a pair of old, dirty tennis shoes in the bottom of your closet? I know I have several. I usually save them to use when I'm mowing the lawn or to wear when I painting. They do reach a point when you know they must go, but where do they end up? Probably a landfill somewhere to sit for eternity. Well, according to Nike…

If you thought your kicks had seen their last play, think again. As Nike Grind, they could become part of an athletic surface, such as a court, track, field or playground – and pre-consumer material could even get used in new shoes and apparel.





Nearly two decades ago, Nike began looking for a way to reduce the company's environmental footprint and reduce the amount of shoes that ended up in landfills. Nike first started by collecting athletic shoes at key retail locations and shortly thereafter teamed up with other recycling centers to establish shoe collections in communities across the country. More than 1.5 million pairs of post-consumer shoes are collected for recycling each year. Since the program began, they've collected more than 24 million pairs of used athletic shoes.



Nike Shoe Recycling – Sustainability | Reuse-A-Shoe – Nike Grind
"From running tracks and basketball and tennis courts to playgrounds and even synthetic turf fields, sports surfaces of all types can incorporate Nike Grind into their design.
Incorporating Nike Grind in these surfaces decreases the need for virgin rubber and other materials, and also offers an alternative to recycled products like tire rubber, which may not meet the consumer products safety guidelines that Nike Grind does. 
To create these surfaces, Nike partners with top-quality surfacing companies, providing them with Nike Grind materials and working together to develop innovative sports surfaces usually containing between 10 and 40 percent Nike Grind." –Nike

What Can You Recycle?
Help Nike keep their machines running smoothly. When recycling your shoes, please remember…

• Athletic shoes (running shoes, sneakers, etc.) and LIVESTRONG wristbands only
• You can recycle any brand of shoes
• No shoes containing metal
• No cleats or dress shoes
• No wet or damp shoes
• No sandals or flip-flops
• No other types of armbands/bracelets

Then take them to the nearest drop off location.

Nike says: Nike Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off locations are found around the world, including all U.S. Nike stores, as well as community recycling centers and other locations. We are frequently expanding this program, so check back for new shoe recycling locations.
You can bring up to 10 pair of athletic shoes at a time to any of the drop-off locations. To find out how to host a shoe drive in your community or become more involved in their efforts, visit the Nike website for more information.

Make this a better world — one sneaker at a time!
This post is brought to you as part of my involvement in Project Genesis. On the first day of each month a group of bloggers share tips on how they impact our environment. Big ideas or small ideas; everyone working together can make a difference. To read the guidelines click here, to see who else shared this month click on the Project Genesis button below.