We know how to recycle plastic, paper, and other well-advertised
items, but what to do with THE LONE TENNIS SHOE?
You’re cleaning out the closet and you find torn t-shirts, gimme
caps (the souvenirs from all the relatives’ travels), and a LONE TENNIS SHOE.
ATRS (American
Textile Recycling Service http://atrscorp.com/)
will recycle old torn shirts, t-shirts no one would ever wear, and THE LONE
TENNIS SHOE, as well as wearable clothing. They resell, reuse, or repurpose
everything donated. Some of these items are sent to foreign countries. Textiles
are recycled into all sorts of reusable materials. ATRS is partnered with the Children’s
Miracle Network. ATRS donates money to
Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin, based on the weight of the items in each
bin. There are 55 collection boxes in Austin alone. One of those bins is
pictured in this blog.
That LONE TENNIS SHOE (plus any other unwanted tennis shoes)
can also be taken to the Nike Factory Store in Round Rock, Texas. They have a
program called “Old Soles Never Die”. Old tennis shoes are turned into
playground and running surfaces. If you live outside of Austin, check with your
local Nike store.
WINE CORKS
There are other items that require more research to recycle
or reuse. One of these is wine corks. Many wine stores or local
vineyards collect these to be recycled into cork flooring, flip-flops, and even
purses. In Austin, you can take your corks to Spec’s Wines and Water 2 Wine.
PLASTIC SIX-PACK
RINGS
I very rarely purchase products with the plastic six-pack
ring. When I did recently, I asked my
contact with the City of Austin’s Resource Recovery Department if I could put
these rings into my curbside collection bin.
I was told NO - the rings get tangled in the machinery and damage it. I
then asked my plastic recycling guru, who said they can’t go into the plastics
recycling bins at the grocery store, either.
These rings will live forever in the landfill! In addition, birds and other wildlife get
caught in these rings and eventually die. I think the only solution is to never
ever buy products secured with these rings.
YOUR QUESTIONS
I have had some wonderful questions from readers. If you have any questions about recycling,
please post them and I will do my best to find the answers.
