What's With All Those Shoes?

Story by Allie Serres

At Platteville High School we don’t see shoes as an issue. People here have multiple pairs and some have so many pairs of shoes that they don't even know what to do with them. Throughout the world, each year 300 million pairs of shoes get thrown away and put into landfills, yet in many places around the world the average person doesn't have shoes at all. in. In fact, approximately 1.5 billion people don't have shoes to wear.

In order to help this world issue, the cross country team has teamed up with Shoe Box and set out collection boxes around the school so students have the opportunity to recycle their used shoes. Coach Serres says, “I got an email from Shoe Box explaining the idea, and I was intrigued by the great opportunity to teach students to give back and help the less fortunate. Although I am happy with the results so far, I would like to see more shoes coming in. The school is going to have a Shoe Blast day, and I am hoping that we bring in about 300 pairs of shoes. This is something that I hope will go on forever, and hopefully people will realize shoes are recyclable just like anything else.”

Not only is this an opportunity to help others around the world, but this program will also benefit the cross country team. Each collection box can hold about 40 pairs of shoes, and for each box filled and sent in to the Shoe Box company, the cross country team receives $20. So bring in shoes to support the team and to help those in need. It is easy to take things for granted, but before you put those shoes in the garbage, think about the child, mother, father, or grandparent that would love to have those shoes that you consider to be trash.