Madelyn Spiegelman is trying to save the planet, one pair of sneakers at a time.
The 32-year Dunwoody North resident is collecting athletic shoes from Dunwoody residents that will be repurposed or recycled through a Florida-based organization called Got Sneakers.
According to the Got Sneakers website, in the United States alone, at least 200 million pairs of shoes and sneakers end up in landfills annually. The shoes can take at least 30-40 years to decompose while emitting harmful chemicals into the soil and air.
“Most people throw away their used sneakers every 125-200 days without ever thinking about recycling,” the website said.
In addition to polluting landfills, Got Sneakers said the process of manufacturing sneakers produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, which contributes to serious effects of climate change and global warming.
Spiegelman said she learned of the cause through social media and thought it would be a good way to contribute to the greater good.
“Anything we can do to help the planet is a good thing, even if it’s one shoe at a time,” she said.
The sneakers, if in good condition, are sold for pennies on the dollar, and if not wearable, are ground down and repurposed into other uses, including flooring or playground surfaces.
So far, Got Sneakers has recycled and reused 3.5 million shoes and has stopped 105 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
Spiegelman has already collected more than 140 pairs of shoes and sent them in prepaid mailing bags provided by Got Sneakers. She is looking to ramp up the program by partnering with schools or other civic-minded organizations.
Got Sneakers accepts all types of athletic shoes but not those that have cleats.
For more information, to partner with Spiegelman, or to arrange a drop-off, contact her at madspiegelman@yahoo.com.
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