November 13, 2006
On the Right Track

It’s time to pare down your collection of athletic footwear when:

A)    Your friends call you Sporty         Imelda; or
B)     Your closet floor was last         seen when women specific         gear meant men’s designs in         shades of pink; or
C)     If you lined up your shoes end to end, it would         cover a lap around the track.

Option C is exactly what Nike wants to do with your old worn out shoes.  Since 1993, Nike has been collecting athletic shoes (all brands) and converting them into sport surfaces.  Shoes are processed and grinded into material that can be used for a variety of surfaces including running tracks, basketball courts, soccer fields and playgrounds.  

To date, Nike’s Reuse-A Shoe program has successfully recycled 16 million pairs of shoes.  That’s equivalent to about 12,000 tons and 105,000 cubic feet that’s been diverted from the landfill.  This year, Nike’s goal is to recycle 125,000 pairs of shoes.

Reuse-A-Shoe goes hand-in-hand (or dare we say, foot-to-foot) with Nike’s GO initiative, which promotes healthy living for kids through physical activity.  Nike uses this surface material to build playing fields in less fortunate communities.  So far, Nike has donated over 170 surfaces around the world.

Collection sites are located throughout the United States. If you’re ready to reincarnate you old tired shoes as playing fields, click here for the closest depot or you can always mail them directly to Nike.

Save the environment and help kids stay healthy?  Making fresh tracks never felt so good.

Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
www.nikereuse-a-shoe.com