Shoe Recycling is a Green Steps project about conserving the environment by recycling items instead of throwing them away. This Green Steps project has 3 components:
- Students learn something about recycling items
- Do something about conservation by recycling and repurposing items
- Teach others about what they have learned about conserving the natural resources
We planned this project for the STEAM Club–where students meet every other week to engage in learning activities and socialization opportunities. This club is designed for families who are looking for activities with limited time commitments. This learning club is for all ages.
This particular lesson has two components: an environmental awareness project and a community service project.
- Environmental awareness: Old shoes pose a problem for the environment: The chemicals seep into the soil and the decomposing releases methane gas into the air. Instead, shoes can be recycled into playgrounds and sports fields.
- Community Service: What we consider an old shoe can be used in countries where they do not have shoes. Many of our shoes will be used to empower locals who can sell the used shoes. They can patch up and repair them to give the shoes a longer life.
Student try on shoes made of plastic bottles
LEARN: Students learned about the components of shoes that could be recycled and repurposed. We played a game where we “tossed” old shoes as a reminder for where we should be tossing old shoes. We learned about some places that people make use of anything to protect their feet. They would be especially glad to have better shoes instead.
Students try making shoes from recycled materials
DO: Shoes can’t be recycled at the local recycle center. There are groups and programs that specialize in recycling and redistributing shoes. Keep the Midlands Beautiful is doing a shoe recycle challenge from April 1-May 15. Our students are collecting shoes from their neighbors. And we have placed collection bins at all FOUR church locations where our classes regularly meet, so that congregants can also participate with us.
Here’s our promo video with our elementary class.
Toss your shoes HERE!
TEACH: Several of our participants organized their own shoe collection campaign with their friends and neighbors outside of our homeschool group. One family set a personal goal to collect 100 pairs on their own. They went to door to door collecting shoes from their neighbors. This gave them opportunity to explain more about the lessons they learned about why we need to keep shoes out of the landfill and how we can help others at the same time.
See the promo infographics these older students made:
Read more about our Green Steps Projects 2018-2019: