LA/NY based sneaker company FLIGHT CLUB & GREEN JAR have teamed up to COLLECT worn sneakers from some of the NBA’s most environmentally conscious teams in an effort to recycle product that would otherwise be disposed of as material waste. Mission “COLLECT” has thus far received the most generous and notable donations of used practice sneakers (worn sparingly) from the Los Angeles Lakers (which includes a pair from none other than Kobe Bryant/Vivo) and the Golden State Warriors. All sneakers are currently being donated to Soles 4 Souls Haiti shoe project.

*KOBE/VIVO SNEAKER

A lot of the time people hesitate when it comes to the environment because they don’t see themselves connected to it.  However, you can’t say that you don’t wear sneakers/shoes and that you don’t have a couple pairs you’ve disposed of as garbage in the past. COLLECT is about making the recycling of worn product a natural process in order to reduce waste. And it just so happens that we are helping lives in the process. The NBA is helping to set this example.

Nearly everything we do leaves behind some kind of waste. With seventy percent of U.S. municipal solid waste getting buried in landfills, education and awareness in the area of waste and waste management is increasingly important from a global perspective of resource management. Older, poorly-designed or poorly-managed landfills continue to create a number of adverse environmental impacts such as wind-blown litter, attraction of vermin, a generation of liquid leachate, and gas (mostly composed of methane and carbon dioxide). The obvious alternatives to landfills are waste reduction, and recycling strategies. Mission COLLECT will continue to receive donations of used footwear and advocate responsible waste disposal in an effort to raise awareness of the growing concerns associated with waste management.

A special thanks to the amazing Karen West, Ellen and Steve Jackson, Rudy Garciduenas, Gary Vitti of The LA Lakers, George H. Raveling of International Basketball, & Flight Club NY for making all of this possible.