Nike and The Climate Group Kick Off 5th Annual Capitol Hill Reuse-A-Shoe Challenge

Members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation Partner with Local Youth for Shoe Drive Competition

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nike and The Climate Group today announced the launch of its fifth annual Capitol Hill Reuse-A-Shoe Challenge. This year the U.S. House of Representatives Oregon delegation is collecting in conjunction with a high school or youth organization in their districts that was selected by Nike. Each congressional office and associated school will participate in a month-long competitive shoe drive to collect old, worn-out athletic shoes to be recycled into new sports and playground surfaces.

For this challenge, each representative is hosting a shoe drive at their Washington, D.C. office and combining the total pairs of shoes collected with their partner high school or youth group back in Oregon. The team with the most pairs of shoes collected at the competition’s end on Dec. 4 will be declared the winner, and Nike will make a generous product donation to the winning school. The complete list of teams is below:

• Rep. Peter DeFazio; Boys and Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley
• Rep. Earl Blumenauer; Cleveland High School
• Rep. Greg Walden; Bend High School
• Rep. Kurt Schrader; North Salem High School
• Rep. David Wu; Westview High School

“Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program means less waste and more resources for our planet,” said Kate Krebs, Director of Sustainable Resources, The Climate Group. “The Capitol Hill Reuse-A-Shoe drive is precisely the kind of political and corporate leadership we need to demonstrate the significant environmental and economic benefits of recycling. We’re proud to partner with Nike on this exciting initiative that helps illustrate how the conservation of natural resources helps fight climate change.”

Reuse-A-Shoe is an integral part of Nike Sustainable Business and Innovation and is a unique recycling program that turns worn-out athletic shoes of all brands into Nike Grind, a material used in sports and playground surfaces for youth. Over the past four years, more than 8,000 pairs shoes have been recycled as part of the Capitol Hill Reuse-A-Shoe drive.

“To directly involve the youth in this year’s challenge provides us with an opportunity to educate a group that has tremendous influence on the way sustainability initiatives are put into action,” said Orson Porter, Nike Government Affairs. “Partnerships with organizations like The Climate Group make it possible for Nike to further advance its message of empowerment to this generation, and drive the success of the company’s environmental efforts.”

The Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program has recycled more than 24 million pairs of shoes since its inception, which have been incorporated into thousands of sports and playground surfaces around the world. For more information on Nike Reuse-A-Shoe, visit: www.nikereuseashoe.com.

About The Climate Group
The Climate Group (www.theclimategroup.org) is an independent, not-for-profit organization working internationally with government and business leaders to advance smart policies and technologies which cut global emissions and accelerate a low carbon economy. Its global coalition of companies, states, regions and cities around the world recognizes the economic and environmental imperatives of taking decisive action now. The Climate Group was founded in 2004 and has operations in Australia, China, Europe, India and North America.

About Nike, Inc.
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Cole Haan Holdings Incorporated, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.nikebiz.com.

About Nike Reuse-A-Shoe
Nike Reuse-A-Shoe is an integral part of Nike Sustainable Business and Innovation and is a unique recycling program that turns worn-out athletic shoes of all brands into Nike Grind, a material used in sports and playground surfaces. Since its inception, Reuse-A-Shoe has helped reduce millions of athletic shoes from ending up in landfills each year and has recycled more than 24 million pairs of shoes. The recycled shoes are given new life, and are reborn into sports and playground surfaces around the world. For more information on Nike Grind and Nike Reuse-A-Shoe, visit: www.nikereuseashoe.com.

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