This is a guest post from Sneakers4good.com
Next time you walk into a gym, look around, and what do you see besides people, treadmills, and weights? Sneakers. On any day across the nation, gyms have thousands, if not millions, of people wearing sneakers to stay healthy or get in shape. But what happens with those sneakers when gym members no longer need the athletic shoes? The answer is simple: they should look for sneaker reuse or recycle sneakers.
Your gym can become a place for more than personal gains. For one, it can be a hub for global good through reuse and when people recycle sneakers. When gyms join the sneaker reuse movement, they’re doing great things for their communities, making a global impact on people in developing nations and taking a giant step toward sustainability. So, any gym can become a hub for more than fitness but also social good.
The Hidden Waste in Your Gym’s Locker Room
Getting gym members used to sneaker reuse is a great way to market the gym. But before we go further, let’s talk a bit about athletic shoes, sustainability, and waste. As most gym owners and workers know, runners go through sneakers after about 400 – 500 miles of runs. Those sneakers usually end up in people’s closets, storage units, or, worse still, the trash. Together with regular shoes, about 300 million shoes go to landfills and municipal waste.
As we know, shoes and sneakers that go into the garbage cost taxpayers money. The waste has to be collected, gathered, and shipped to landfills. In landfills, sneakers can take decades, a generation, or even more time to fully decompose. All the while, as they decompose, they emit toxins into the environment. Inevitably, that hurts the planet and isn’t good for any of us as we deal with more superstorms and natural disasters due to climate change.
Why Sneaker Recycling Should Be in Every Gym’s Sustainability Plan
The chances are that your gym has invested in energy-efficient lighting. Your members are likely used to recycling and maybe even shopping secondhand and vintage. Sneaker reuse and sneaker recycling are two slightly different approaches to sustainability. Sneaker reuse is the ideal way to get rid of athletic shoes gym members no longer want. For one, it helps provide work opportunities for people worldwide. And it’s also eco-friendly (BIG PLUS!).
On the other hand, recycling breaks down an item, and then a new thing gets manufactured. For example, think of taking a glass, crushing it, and making a vase. It’s the same for sneakers. In sneaker recycling, they would get crushed and manufactured into new things. So, to conserve resources, the ideal way to dispose of old sneakers is to partner with a gym sneaker reuse collection partner or even remind members to do a mail-in program.
The Business Case: Sustainability Is a Membership Driver
Gym owners know that the fitness market is crowded. However, attracting and retaining members is more than state-of-the-art equipment or HIIT classes. To stand apart from the rest, it’s also about showing people that you care about the community and sustainability. In other words, it’s also about giving back. Participating in a sneaker reuse or sneaker recycling program sets you apart. How so? Here’s why it matters:
Environmental Impact
By collecting preloved sneakers, you’re helping your community redirect sneakers out of landfills and into communities in developing nations worldwide.
Social Impact
In turn, the sneakers collected at your gym provide sustainable jobs for people in developing nations. In short, it’s a hand-up!
Community Engagement
Your gym members care about sustainability and doing the right thing. So, offering and promoting a place to drop off old sneakers is super easy and visible and sets your gym apart.
Partnering for Purpose
When your gym looks to join the sneaker reuse movement, ideally, or helps people to recycle sneakers, you can message it as part of any 5K challenge, Earth Day workouts, or back-to-school promotions. You can integrate it into your existing events—a 5K challenge, Earth Day workouts, and back-to-school drives. In other words, the ideas and potential are limitless, and there are many ways to show that your gym is a sustainable leader. When you think about it, healthy bodies and a healthy planet are connected. Eco-friendly approaches to supporting climate efforts are just as good for all of us as being fit and strong. Every gym has the power to make a difference for its members—and beyond. And it can be as simple as serving as a collection site for sneaker reuse. Your gym can be the change, and all it takes is some heart and a sneaker reuse partner.
