How many old pairs of worn-out sneakers do you have cluttering your closet? If your like me even 1 or 2 pairs laying around takes up prime closet space. If you haven't heard you can donate those old sneakers to none other than Nike. They are accepting old athletic shoes (with no metal parts) and recycling them to make high quality sport surfaces like basketball courts, tennis courts, and soccer fields. Nike engineers developed a technique called "Nike Grind" that uses the old rubber, foam, and fabric materials from athletic shoes in order to make these high tech playing surfaces. So instead of your old shoes ending up in a landfill somewhere they are being used to rebuild community centers in places like New Orleans where it is needed most.

So how do you donate? You can drop off old sneakers at participating Niketown stores or Nike Factory Stores if there's one in your area. Visit Nike Reuse-A-Shoe for more details on where to drop off shoes. If you don't live near a drop-off location then simply mail them to:

Nike Recycling Center
c/o Reuse-A-Shoe
26755 SW 95th
Wilsonville, OR 97070

According to Nike's website letmeplay.com, "It’s all part of Nike’s long-term commitment to addressing our environmental impact and improving lives through sport." Nike you rock. Read more at: www.letmeplay.com