Local Fitness Center Recycles Sneakers

Each year, millions of athletic shoes end up in landfills, but a local fitness center in Palm Desert is working to change that. Orangetheory Fitness, in collaboration with Sneaker Impact, a Miami-based startup, is providing a way to recycle old sneakers and give them a second life. Alma Smith, owner of OTF Palm Desert and Palm Springs, was inspired to act after learning about the massive waste in the shoe industry. Collection boxes have been placed at OTF locations, allowing people to drop off old sneakers for free recycling. The shoes are then either repurposed for global distribution or deconstructed to create new products, helping reduce waste.