Tri To Be Green

On this Earth Day, as well as all year long, we're TRI-ing to be Green! The signs for our bicycle re-cycle project are up and we're ready to start filling the bins.



So far in our efforts we've taken the items in the bins and dispensed them to organizations throughout Austin. Someone's trash is another's treasure, as they say. We've collected many unwanted bike frames and given them to the Orange Bike Project on UT's campus. We've also provided them with many wheels and other bike parts. In turn they learn bicycle repair, mend the items and then use what they've created. They tell us they never throw anything away!

Another organization that is reaping the benefits is the Future Craft Collective. They've taken old race banners, race shirts and inner tubes to create bags and other fun and useful items. Here's their blog post on how they "upcycle" the gear from J&A's recycle bins.

So how can you get involved and help keep some junk out of the landfills? Here are the things we're prepared to handle in our bicycle re-cycle efforts:

Clothing:
race shirts
running shoes
cycling shoes
bike helmets
cycling & running clothes
wetsuits
(please take any other clothing to places such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army)

Metal:
Frames
Wheels
components
bike chains

Rubber:
tires
tubes




Another part of our recycling efforts includes the nutritional products that many cyclists and triathletes use on a daily basis. Instead of throwing away all your energy bar wrappers, we're collecting them as part of the Energy Bar Brigade. Each acceptable wrapper is worth 2 cents and all the funds raised will go to the charity Please Be Kind to Cyclists. Acceptable wrappers include: ClifBar, Powerbar, Luna Bar, Nature Valley bars, Balance bars. Hershey, Snickers and other candy wrappers are NOT accepted, nor are gel wrappers.

We know that it's a lot easier to just throw your tubes, wrappers, and old running shoes away, but next time please consider tossing them into one of the bins at the shop. You'll help put life into them once again!



Thanks to everyone who has already brought stuff in! Keep it up!

Tri To Be Green