Run It Back

by Francesca Molakides

Project Description

My project aimed to collect as many used sneakers as possible from the community and send them to GotSneakers.com (a sneaker recycling service that resells gently used sneakers and recycles parts of well worn sneakers thereby bypassing landfills) to keep them from going into landfills and polluting the earth and air. I accomplished this by setting up collection bins for used sneakers in central locations. My goal was to raise awareness around the toxic effects of sneakers in landfills and encourage people to start recycling rather than discarding their old sneakers.

Outputs

6 collection boxes set up around various locations in the Rivertowns
1 event promoting the collection of sneakers
50 educational flyers around the rivertowns

Outcomes

When talking to people about my project, they were excited to learn more about how to recycle shoes rather than throwing them away. They thought my project was so cool and interesting and a great idea.
As a result of setting up collection bins, I collected and sent in 410 pair of used sneakers to GotSneakers.com. This is 410 pairs of sneakers that will be avoiding the incinerator!
GotSneakers reimburses a small about per pair. While it is hard to know the exact amount, I estimate that I will be make around $150 (I am still waiting to hear back from GotSneakers.com as they send out their checks after every month).
The Tennis Club of Hastings expressed an interest in continuing to collect sneakers, and I will discuss with them using the proceeds to purchase bins for a permanent collection.

Process

1. Buy bins

2. Design the logo

3. Order t-shirts

5. Design box stickers

6. Design flyers

7. Ask locations if they will host a collection bin

8. Distribute bins

9. Distribute flyers

10. Collect sneakers from bins weekly

11. Send sneakers to Gotsneakers.com for recycling

12. Attend an event for education and awareness

Lessons Learned

I learned to be more thoughtful when thinking about my own sneakers. I am now asking myself, "Are they really worn out? or maybe they are just dirty—and I could clean them rather than continuing to buy more and more shoes?"
I learned that the more effort you put into something, the more output you most likely will get. If I had put out more bins, I would have been able to collect even more shoes.
I learned that people are really willing to recycle and want to find ways to do it.

Students Involved

1 Project leader aged 15-24
1 Total project participant (excluding leaders)
0 Project participants aged 15-24 (excluding leaders)

Pasting information posters on my collection bins.

Sitting outside of Boro6 with my mom to promote my project. I talked to passersby to let them know how to recycle used sneakers.

Collecting the last bin. The next step is to put the sneakers in the bags provided by Gotsneakers.com.

Left: Shoes from the collection bins that I bagged up and sent to GotSneakers.com. Middle frames: Instagram posts from HudCo, which hosted a bin. They sent out Instagram stories about my project to encourage people to stop by and put in their sneakers. Right: Instagram story from Club Pilates, which also hosted a bin. Everyone was very excited to help me out!

Thank You's

My mom helped me by encouraging me to get out and collect bins, separate shoes into bags, and talk to people about my cause. I’d like to thank my collection facilities: HudCo, the Tennis Club of Hastings, Park Hill Tennis Club, Club Pilates, Hastings High School, Boro6 Wine Bar, my neighborhood, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse