Focused on keeping Lake County clean, a local company is currently offering Reuse-A-Shoe, a seasonal recycling program for old shoes.
The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) has offered the Reuse-A-Shoe program every spring for nine consecutive years. The program takes used athletic shoes and recycles them by turning them into things like sports surfaces, playgrounds, running tracks, and athletic fields, according to SWALCO’s website.
The goal of the program is to prevent thousands of pairs of shoes from ending up in landfills, trying to give back to the Lake County community, and also to get more people involved in volunteering and recycling.
“I’ve been volunteering since sixth or seventh grade, when I started volunteering a lot with Girl Scouts and church. I really like helping people with their problems. [It’s good to volunteer] because you’re not doing it for yourself; you do it for others and it’s important to give back,” Laura Hearst, sophomore, said.
The company has set up drop-off locations throughout the Lake County area at public places such as libraries, park district buildings, and schools. SWALCO asks that any large donations, especially those made by groups or charities, be registered through the company, but normal-sized donations can be put into any public drop-off box.
Although SWALCO has many drop-off locations throughout the county, many are only available in the spring, typically until late April. The seasonal locations allow the company to recycle the most shoes at one time in order to reuse as much as possible.
Besides the Reuse-A-Shoe program, SWALCO offers a recycling program for electronics, such as televisions and computers, and education about the importance of recycling and composting. These programs allow residents to become more educated about different ways they can help the planet and also to find volunteer work that suits their interests, according to SWALCO’s website.
“It’s really important to find something that you like to do or a problem you want to help out with. When you do, you become so much more dedicated to the cause. When you’re fortunate in life, it’s important to help those that aren’t, and you can’t forget about the environment either,” Hearst said.
In addition to Reuse-A-Shoe, SWALCO hosted an eco arts and crafts fair on April 13 to celebrate Earth Month. The fair offered activities and featured recicled crafts, and also benefitted the company as well as aspiring artists. In addition, SWALCO will also be selling rain barrels and compost bins until May 11.
If interested in donating shoes, contact SWALCO to register your drop off. Drop-off locations around the county will be open until late April, unless otherwise specified on the SWALCO website.