Saving Your SolesBy Shelley Bueche Stop! Don't throw away those running shoes even if they have seen many a mile. In this age of eco-friendly alternatives, there simply is no excuse for trashing a pair of running shoes-regardless of their appearance or performance. A pair that is still in relatively good shape can make its way to a new owner. A worn-out pair may have a second life as a running track. We all know that your feet (and running shoes) hit the ground about 800 times every mile. According to Bob Glover, in his book the All New Runner's Handbook, "If you run 10 miles a week, then each shoe strikes the ground during your run more than 40,000 times a year." Simply put, the more miles you run, the faster your shoes wear out. That said, knowing exactly when to trade in that pair you only recently thought of as state of the art foot support is an individual decision. Only you know when your shoes just aren't cuttin' it. Your well-used shoes could be someone else's next pair. Paul Carrozza, owner of Run-Tex retail outlets in Austin, TX, and an editor of Runner's World magazine, has been providing running shoes for Austin's indigent population for the past 8 years. Customers offering up their running shoes for "adoption" receive a $10 discount on a new pair. Runners can relax knowing their shoes will go to a good home, not to mention that they are making a difference in their community of central Texas. Receiving a discount on their next pair is an added bonus. Carrozza says the program at Run-Tex is so successful that people in need of shoes frequently will visit a Run-Tex location to inquire about the availability of donated shoes. According to Carrozza, Run-Tex receives an estimated 2,000 pairs each month, 99% of which can be worn again. "Most of the time, runners give up on running in their shoes way before they are worn out," adds Carrozza. For shoes beyond salvation, there is life after running shoe death. In 1991, Nike teamed up with Eco Educators, a national environmental education training organization, in order to focus on recycling and sustainability issues. Nike initiated its "Reuse-A-Shoe" program in 1993. According to Nike, more than 13 million pairs of shoes have been recycled in the past 8 years. Nike accepts running and athletic shoes that are no longer functional and recycles them into Nike Grind, a material that eventually becomes sports courts, tracks and playground surfaces. It takes 4,000 shoes to surface a playground, 5,000 for a basketball court, and 150,000 to surface a field and a quarter mile track. A similar program was established in elementary and middle schools called "Air to Earth." The educational program, co-sponsored by Nike and Eco Educators, teaches children about the NIKE recycling system. School children collect shoes and send them off to become Nike Grind material. Just this past summer in Laguna Beach, California, Nike launched a pilot program called Curbside Shoe Recycling. Residents of Laguna Beach were able to place their worn out shoes at the curb alongside their newspapers and aluminum cans. Nike Business Development Manager Beth Farnum, who oversees the Reuse-A-Shoe program, says that Nike is committed to the program and is seeking to team up with the National Recycling Coalitions for a more broad-based expansion. According to the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, recycling creates new products such as aluminum cans, newspaper, cereal boxes, trash bags, paper towels and even carpet. Recent figures released by the EPA show that Americans recycle about 28% of our waste. Adding athletic shoes to the expanding list makes good sense. So give your old shoes new life! If there is not an established program in your neck of the woods, send your shoes to Nike Recycling Center *Shoes must have intact soles and tops. For more information on Eco Educators or their partnership program with Nike called "Air to Earth," visit www.ecoeducators.com.
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