Oh my goodness, this is the coolest thing ever!  I just learned about this very cool program by Nike ReUSE A SHOE that recycles athletic/tennis shoes in any condition, or any other brand and turns them into sports surfaces! They collect shoes from partnering retail stores and other shoe recycling centers. The shoes are taken apart in three sections.  The rubber on the bottom, the sole of the shoe and the fabric of the shoe and they place them onto three different conveyor belts to get ground up. After it has been through the “Nike Grind” they use the material to make running tracks, tennis court’s, basketball courts and play grounds. How cool is that?!?!?

This is from their website to give you better details of the Nike Grind process….

“No matter how your shoes are processed, the end result is the same – three high-quality Nike Grind materials ready to be put back in the game:

Nike Grind Rubber, made from the shoe’s outsole, is used in track surfaces, interlocking gym flooring tiles, playground surfacing and even new Nike products, such as the outsoles of the Nike Pegasus or the Jordan XX3. It’s also used in trim items like buttons and zipper pulls.

Nike Grind Foam, made from the shoe’s midsole, is used as a cushion for outdoor basketball and tennis courts, as well as futsal fields.

Nike Grind Fiber, made from the shoe’s fabric upper, is used in the creation of cushioning pads for facilities like indoor synthetic courts and wood courts. “

Maybe now would be a great time to organize your shoes!

Author Michelle Lehman of Organizing Solutions “Clear the Clutter” Michelle is a Professional Organizer in the Tulsa area. Her articles have been featured in the Tulsa World, The Oklahoman, Chicago Sun-Times and The Chicago Post-Tribune.  Michelle appears on TheNewsOn 6 KOTV and Fox23 News This Morning giving organizing tips and recommendations.

This article was strictly Michelle’s opinion and was not sponsored by Nike.

Photo credit © Suprijono Suharjoto | Dreamstime.com

Tags: green tips, NIKE Grind, organizing, shoes