| How to Recycle Running Shoes Posted: 27 Oct 2018 05:00 PM PDT Running shoes don't last forever. But once you get a new pair, what do you do with your old, worn-out sneakers? Often they pile up in your closet or end up in the landfill, but that's not the only possible fate for your old shoes. You can recycle them so the materials will get reused, or donate them to help someone in need. You can even keep your old shoes and repurpose them into crafty new projects! EditUsing a Shoe Recycling Program - Find a shoe recycling program near you. Some shoe manufacturers have set up programs to take your old, unwanted sneakers and repurpose the materials.[1]
- Find the brand name of your shoes. Look it up on Google or call the manufacturer to find out if that company runs a shoe recycling program.
- If your brand doesn't run its own recycling program, look for programs that accept shoes made by any company. For example, you can return any athletic shoes to Nike's Reuse-a-Shoe program, whether or not the shoes were made by Nike.[2]
- Learn the program's conditions. Some programs might require that you wash the shoes before dropping them off. Some might only accept shoes in a certain condition.
- For example, Patagonia only recycles their own products and asks that you wash them first.[3]
- Ask shoe stores near you if they recycle shoes. Many companies which run recycling programs receive old shoes at their different retail locations. Call nearby shoe stores or look on their websites to find out if they offer this service.[4]
- Even if the shoe store doesn't offer a recycling service, there's a good chance someone who works there can point you in the right direction.
- Drop off your shoes! Bring your shoes to the store and ask where you can leave them. A customer service worker will help guide you to the right place.
- Mail your shoes to a shoe recycling center. If there are no stores near you which partner with shoe recycling programs, don't despair! You can ship your old shoes to many recycling centers. Use the internet or call a recycling program to learn its mailing address.
- Box up your shoes or take them to a post office to have them packaged.
- Pay the required postage, and say goodbye to your old shoes![5]
EditDonating Old Shoes - Assess the condition of your shoes. If they are still in fair condition, consider donating them. Maybe your shoes don't fit your feet perfectly or are too worn out for your taste, but that doesn't mean they've achieved their full potential. As long as they haven't started to fall apart yet, someone else might still be happy to wear them![6]
- Find a donation center. Ask someone in your community or look on the internet to find out if there is a clothing donation center near you. Look for local shops or thrift stores that are known to take donations, like Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Value Village.[7]
- Contact a local food bank or shelter. Ask any organization which supports the poor or homeless if they accept donations of used shoes.
- Some religious organizations also run charity programs. Ask a local church, temple, or another organization if they can help you donate used shoes.
- Consider a charity program which deals specifically with shoes.[8] Programs like Soles4Souls, One World Running, Share Your Soles, Give Your Sole, and more seek to distribute used shoes to people in need.[9]
- Drop off your shoes at the donation center. Once you've chosen a store or program where yu donate your shoes to, find out if and when you can drop them off in person or mail your shoes to them.
EditRepurposing Parts of Old Shoes - Research crafty ideas for repurposing shoes. Depending on the condition, material, and appearance of your shoes, there could be many fun options for repurposing them! To get inspired, use websites like Pinterest, YouTube, and pages devoted to upcycling and DIY crafts.
- Assess the potential of your shoes. What do you like about them? If you think they're cute, turn them into something you can keep in your house or give as a gift. If they're stained and worn, consider how the materials could be used in your garden or garage.
- Take the laces off to use as spare string. Since they're probably already dirty but fairly strong, old shoelaces are great to use in the garden to tie up plant limbs, bundle wood, or hang a birdfeeder.[10]
- If you want to use your shoelaces indoors, you can wash and dry them with your laundry. Once they're clean, you can use them to tie up an old belt, or loop them through the ends of kitchen utensils so you can hang them on the wall.
- If you have several shoelaces, you can string them together to make an indoor plant hanger or weave them into a homemade purse strap, keychain, or bracelet.
- Turn shoe soles into stepping stones for your garden. If your shoes are in ugly or bad shape but the soles are intact and sturdy, they can still be useful![11]
- Cut just the soles off and remove the rest of the material.
- Turn the soles upside down and place them in your garden wherever you want to have stepping stones.
- Use anchor pins or garden stakes to pierce through each sole from above. This will attach the soles to the ground, keeping them in place.
- Turn an old shoe into a planter. Boots are classic repurposed plant pots; growing plants in your old sneakers may have a different aesthetic, but it can still be cute, quirky, and thrifty![12]
- Poke holes in the soles of the shoes for drainage using a screwdriver, a wide nail, or a drill.
- Fill the shoe almost all the way with potting mix.
- Plant a seed or two in the soil, or transplant a small potted plant into the shoe.
- It's generally a good idea to choose a smaller plant that won't outgrow the shoe, such as certain herbs, small flowers, or succulents.[13]
- Turn a large, sturdy shoe into a birdhouse. Nail the entire shoe to a tree trunk, with the sole facing the tree and the toes pointing down. Put some birdseed in the shoe, and wait for birds to come check it out.[14]
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Fold a Map Posted: 27 Oct 2018 09:00 AM PDT Maps are essential navigation tools, but they can be bulky and hard to carry. Knowing how to properly fold a map will save you time and energy by allowing you to access it more easily, as well as conveniently carry it long distances in small spaces, such as your pocket or backpack. EditUsing an Accordion Fold - Lay your map face-up on a flat surface. Clear a surface that is a comfortable height so you can reach all four corners of the map without straining. Use a surface that is large enough that the entire map fits on it when laid out flat.
- If the map is hanging off the edges of the surface, it will be more difficult to fold evenly.
- Fold your map in half crosswise. To do this, position the West side of the map on your left and the East side on your right. Take the West side of the map and fold it over directly on top of the East side. Carefully line up the edges of the map, then press down to create a crease.
- Use a ruler or a roller for a sharper crease.[1]
- Unfold the map and lay it out flat. If the crease is not sharp enough or is not centered, re-fold the map until you have two equal sections that are clearly divided by a sharp crease. You should now have a single, sharp crease down the middle of the map.
- Fold one of the outer edges inward to touch the center crease. Folding in the same direction (crosswise), line up the edge of the map with the crease you just made. Once the edges are lined up properly, press down on the fold to make a new crease.
- Grab the outer edge of the section you just folded. Fold this section back toward you and line up the edges. Once the edges are lined up properly, fold it down and make a sharp crease.
- This fold should be half the width of the last fold.
- Flip the map face-down. Do not unfold the folds you just made. Bring the folded outer edge back to the middle crease. Line the edges up carefully, and use your roller, ruler, or fingers to fold down the edge.
- It may help to position the map vertically, so that you are directly in front of the part of the map you've been folding.[2]
- Flip the map back to the front. Position the map so that the unfolded side is facing you. Half of the map should now have four vertical fan folds, and the other half should have none.[3]
- Repeat steps 4-6 for the second half of the map. When working on the second half, you can either unfold the section you just folded or leave the folds as they are. When you are finished, the map will have 8 equal, vertical panels.
- Fold the map in thirds, crosswise, to save space. If your map is still taking up too much space after folding it accordion-style, you can make it smaller by folding it into thirds.
- If your map has a front panel, use that as a guide for where to make your first fold. The second fold should be the same size as the first. Make sure the front panel ends up on top.
- If your map does not have an obvious front panel, fold each end at approximately from the edge.[4]
EditMaking Your Map Pocket-Sized - Place your map face-up on a large, flat surface. Make sure the surface is at a comfortable height so you can reach all four corners of the map without straining. Use a surface that is large enough to support the entire map.
- If the edges are hanging off the surface, it will be more difficult to fold it neatly.
- Note the different places where the name is located on the map. Position the map in front of you so the map's name is located in both the top right and bottom left corners. You'll be using these to guide your folds.
- Using the name of the map to guide your folds will ensure that the name of the map is facing up when it's closed. This way, if you have multiple maps, you will be able to locate the map you're looking for without having to open them all.[5]
- Fold the top right corner of the map face-down on the top left corner. Carefully line up the edges and press down on the fold to create a sharp crease. You should now have a single crosswise fold in the center of the map. The front of the map should not be visible after this fold.
- Use a ruler or roller to create a sharper crease.
- Bring the same edge halfway back toward the outside of the map. Line the edges up carefully, then fold the crease down. The front of the map should now be facing upward.
- Flip the map upside down and position the unfolded edge in front of you. Do not unfold the part of the map you just folded. Fold this edge of the map halfway back, identical to the fold you just made.
- Your map should now be folded into four equal quarters.[6]
- Re-locate the names on the top and bottom of the folded map. You may need to flip the map over to find the names. Keep your map folded and position your map so the names are facing up.
- Fold the map in half so that the top name touches the bottom name. Don't open the folds you've already made. Instead, fold it down the middle of all four quadrants. Line the edges up carefully, then press down to create a sharp crease.
- After this fold, the map names should no longer be visible.
- Peel the section you just folded halfway back toward the outside edge. Line the edges up carefully, then press down on the crease. Flip the map over and repeat the same fold on the other side of the map. Both names should now be facing up.
- You can now conveniently see the name of the map while it's folded, no matter which way you look at it. This is especially helpful when you have multiple maps, because you don't have to open them all to find the specific map you're looking for.[7]
- If your map is still too big, try cutting the edges off. Just make sure you don't cut off important reference material you may need, such as the scale or key.[8]
- Carry your map in a waterproof bag, such as a Ziploc baggy, to protect it from weather damage.[9]
- Never use a map while driving! Always have a passenger navigate for you or pull the car to a stop before using a map.
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Bake Eggs Posted: 27 Oct 2018 01:00 AM PDT Baking eggs is a great way to prepare a large amount of eggs at one time. With the right technique, you can make hard "boiled" eggs, shirred eggs, and scrambled eggs in the oven. The process may take a little longer than on the stove, but it is also easier because you don't have to stand guard over the eggs as they cook. EditIngredients EditHard "Boiled" Eggs Servings: varies EditShirred Eggs - 1 to 12 eggs
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of heavy cream (per egg)
- 1 tablespoon (7.5 g) of grated Parmesan cheese (per egg)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Servings: varies EditScrambled Eggs - 10 large eggs
- of milk
- 1 cup (100 g) of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (150 g) of diced, cooked ham
- 1/4 cup (5 g) of finely-chopped, fresh, flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper
Servings: 5 to 6 EditMaking Hard "Boiled" Eggs - Preheat your oven to . If your oven tends to run cool, then it might be better to preheat it to instead.[1]
- Place your desired number of eggs into a muffin pan. You do not need to grease the muffin pan or insert liners. Simply place 1 egg into each hole. Do not crack the eggs open; you're only hard boiling them.[2]
- How many eggs you hard boil is up to you. The number of eggs won't affect the baking time.
- Bake the eggs for up to 30 minutes. Be aware that the eggs may develop some red specks as they bake, which is normal. This won't affect the integrity of the eggs themselves.[3]
- Place the eggs into an ice bath for 10 minutes to cool down. Fill a bowl, pot, or sink with ice, then add some cold water. Next, place the eggs into the ice bath, then leave them there until they cool off—about 10 minutes.[4]
- You need to plunge the eggs into an ice bath in order to halt the cooking process. If you don't do this, the eggs will continue to cook.
- Peel and serve the eggs. Oven-baked eggs peel very easily, so you should be able to get the job done quickly.[5] If you made a whole batch of eggs to eat throughout the week, consider leaving them in their shells ad storing them in the fridge instead.
- Keep unpeeled eggs away from the raw eggs. The last thing you'd want to do is peel a raw egg by mistake!
EditMaking Shirred Eggs - Preheat your oven to . It doesn't matter whether or not your oven runs hot or cool. Because you're baking these eggs out side of their shells, it'll be easier to determine whether or not they're done baking.[6]
- These eggs are essentially what you'd get if you cracked an egg open on a frying pan.[7]
- Grease a muffin tin with a light coat of cooking spray. How many wells on the muffin tin you grease depends on how many eggs you want to make. If you want to make 12 eggs, then grease 12 wells. If you want to make 3 eggs, then grease only 3 wells.[8]
- You can use ramekins too. Place these on a baking sheet to make them easier to take in and out of the oven.[9]
- A butter-flavored cooking spray would work especially well here because it will give the eggs a pan-fried flavor.
- Crack 1 egg into each muffin tin or ramekin. Again, how many eggs you crack open depends on how many you want to make. Most muffin tins can hold 6 to 12 eggs, depending on the number of wells that they have.[10]
- Do not break, stir, or scramble the yolks.[11]
- Pour 1 to 2 teaspoons of heavy cream over each egg. If you don't have heavy cream, or don't want to use it, try melted butter instead.[12]
- This is very important because it will help keep the egg whites from drying out in the oven.[13]
- Season the eggs with salt, pepper, and grated cheese, if desired. A dash of salt and pepper is all you really need. For extra flavor, add 1 tablespoon (7.5 g) of grated Parmesan cheese over each egg.[14]
- Bake the eggs for 7 to 12 minutes. The longer you bake the eggs, the more firm they will become. Soft-center eggs are great if you want to eat them for breakfast on a plate. If you wish to use the eggs in a breakfast sandwich, however, a firm-center egg would work better because it won't be as runny. Listed below are the recommended baking times:[15]
- Soft: 7 to 8 minutes
- Medium: 9 to 10 minutes
- Firm: 11 to 12 minutes
- Serve the eggs as soon as you take them out of the oven. The eggs will continue to cook from the inside, so they will become more firm as time goes by. If you made soft-center eggs, then enjoy them as soon as you can.[16]
- Add more flavor to the eggs by seasoning them with dried herbs or extra shredded cheese.[17]
EditMaking Scrambled Eggs - Preheat your oven to . This is only if you're going to use a baking pan.[18] If you'll be using a muffin tin, then do instead.[19]
- Grease a baking pan. You can use olive oil, butter, or a nonstick cooking spray for this. Set the pan aside when you are done.[20]
- You can also use a muffin tin. You have enough egg mixture to fill 5 standard-sized wells. Grease each well, but skip the paper liner.[21]
- Beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together. Crack 10 eggs into a large mixing bowl, then pour in of milk. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and up to 1/4 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper. Whisk everything together until the yolks break.[22]
- The more you beat the eggs, the fluffier and lighter they will become once baked.[23]
- Add some cheese, cooked ham, and parsley, if desired. For a traditional dish, use 1 cup (100 g) of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup (150 g) of diced, cooked ham, and 1/4 cup (5 g) finely-chopped, fresh, flat-leaf parsley. Give the mixture another stir to mix everything together.[24]
- You can also try other fillings too, such as diced onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, etc.
- With the exception of herbs, be sure to fry or sauté everything before adding it into the eggs.
- Pour the mixture into your greased pan. If you are filling a muffin tin, consider using a soup ladle to transfer the egg mixture into the wells. This will ensure that each well gets the same amount.
- Bake the scrambled eggs for 45 minutes. They are ready when the top is golden. Another way to test them is to poke the middle with a knife; if it comes out clean, the eggs are ready.[25]
- If you're baking the eggs in a muffin tin, then check the eggs after about 12 to 15 minutes; they should be just set.[26]
- Allow the eggs to cool for 5 minutes before serving them. Once they have cooled, but them to 6 portions, then serve them with a spatula.[27]
- If you made the eggs in a muffin tin, then slide them out of the tin with a fork or spoon, and serve them individually.
- You can season shirred and scrambled eggs just like you would when frying them on the stove.
- Hard-boiled eggs will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
- Shirred and scrambled eggs will last up to 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
- Hard-center shirred eggs and scrambled eggs made in muffin tins are great for breakfast sandwiches.
- Eggs will continue to cook even after you take them out of the oven, so it might actually be better to undercook them slightly.
EditThings You'll Need EditHard Boiled Eggs - Muffin tin
- Oven
- Bowl or sink
- Ice (for ice bath)
EditShirred Eggs - Muffin tin or ramekins
- Oven
EditScrambled Eggs - baking sheet
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Oven
EditSources and Citations
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