EKO Commission Saving the Planet One Shoe at a Time: Nike Reuse-a-Shoe

We all want to improve this planet, make it a healthier, safer environment. We recycle plastic to make a more eko friendly water bottle, we recycle paper to make a more eko friendly shopping bag. June of last year, Nike Reuse-a-Shoe started a program for recycling sneakers to put them to good use. The worn out athletic shoes get ground down into a scrap material called Nike Grind. With this material Nike is able to transform the Nike Grind scrap into high- quality sports surfaces such as courts, tracks, fields and more. The best part is, the Yeshivah of Flatbush was able to help.

On Monday, September 9, 2013, the first day the Yeshivah of Flatbush resumed their sessions, the Eko Commission wasted no time in preparing for the sneaker drive. After spending much of August planning, everyone was so excited to start. Thrilled to pitch in, we had members of the commission go around to classrooms, send out texts, announce it on the loudspeaker, notifying anyone and everyone about this exciting event. Before we knew it, we were receiving sneakers left and right, whether from eager students or enthusiastic members of the administration. The sneaker drive lasted until Tuesday, September 17. It was then that the Eko Commission discovered that the students and staff at YOFHS accumulated up to 70 pairs of sneakers! That's a lot of Nike Grind!

Nike was very grateful for our tremendous contribution. With our help, Nike will be able to create a whole new field or track that will be made from 100% recycled material. So next time you step onto the court or the field, just think — you can better our Earth, one shoe at a time.

"Live. Love. Eko."
Michelle Harari 2-HR

For more information please visit:
http://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/better-world/stories/2013/05/reuse-a-shoe