Okay, so I'm more of a walker than a runner. But I got a new pair of running shoes last week. I was all frisky and happy about them till I got home and my old pair looked me right in the eye and accused, "What are you going to do with me, now? Put me in the trash?"
It's like this every time. And because of it, I have a box of tired running shoes in the attic. Sometimes they look spiffy enough to take to Goodwill (if they didn't fit right) but most of the time I know that taking them there would be passing my trash to someone else to deal 
"Does anyone recycle running shoes?" I asked my husband because he was the only one in the room—not because he was likely to know.
"They should!" I knew he was thinking about my box in the attic. But, hey, that's two of us who think this is a good idea. That means there will be a Web site. So I looked it up.
And sure enough. Nike just does it! The company has a worldwide recycling program that grinds up old running shoes and turns them into a material called Nike Grind. Grind is then used to make playgrounds, basketball courts, and running tracks. There is a drop-off location locator at the Nike's Reuse a Shoe site but I looked and there isn't a single location in North Carolina.
Come on Wilmington! Isn't there a sporting goods store—or someone—looking for a little green karma out there?
Meanwhile we can ship beat-up old running shoes (no wet shoes, no cleats, and no metal parts) to:
Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
(Nike will not accept shoes delivered with postage due)
Now I know what to do with that box in my attic.
Do you get to follow where your old shoes are retired to? I mean, can you find out if your favorite pair ends up as playground fodder in quaint Maine village, or something?
ReplyDeleteand you can get visitation rights, so you can talk about all the good runs you used to have.
ReplyDeletedt
The sporting goods store on Oleander (I think its at Hanover Center) takes old shoes and donates them. I'm pretty sure its Omega sports. I have a ton of old shoes that sit in my garage and its a great place to take them. They go to homeless shelters or even other countries for people who cant afford shoes. Try it out.
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