125 Million Tennis Balls are sold in the United States each year!
While it’s only a fraction of the number of styrofoam cups sitting in landfills, it’s still an overwhelming number. Here are 10 ways each of us can put our well used tennis balls to good use after they have been retired from play!
Recycle Idea #1 Chair Legs
Contact schools and churches with classrooms in your area. Your used ball donations will be put to good use!
Recycle Idea #2 Bottle Opener
You may not recycle a lot of balls this way, but it sure comes in handy and makes a great gift for friends of all ages!
Recycle Idea #3 Planter
Unique and environment-friendly planters are another creative way to put your over-used tennis balls to good use.
Recycle Idea #4 Fuzzy Yellow House
A tennis ball is the newest in critter architectural design. Interest from small birds, mice, gerbils, and others are making it a seller’s market!
Recycle Idea #5 Ball Bracelets
Tennis Ball Bracelets are easy to make and one-size-fits-all. Paint the inside before or after cutting. To paint before, just cut the ball in half and let dry.
Recycle Idea #6 Pet Toys
How about donating used balls to animal shelters or bring a loaded basket to a dog park with a sign that says “Free Balls – Take One!”
Recycle Idea #7 Cord Organizer
Cut a slit in a tennis ball on two sides. Put the plug through one hole and the connector through the other. Your extra wire is wound up inside the ball!
Recycle Idea #8 Walker Sliders
Retirement homes light up when someone donates a box of tennis balls. They are tried and tested over decades to make life easier on the senior circuit.
Recycle Idea #9 Non-Slip Hook Trick
This idea is a tennis lover’s trick that offers non-slip benefits to sometimes slippery hooks. Just cut a slit in the ball to use for towels or robes.
Recycle Idea #10 Dog Treat Game
Here are 2 dog facts. First, they love treats. Second, dog owners need ways to keep energetic dogs busy. This ball recycle idea does the trick!
Kalindi Dinoffer is trained in multiple aspects of mindfulness in life and in sports, sharing on her blog MindfulKalindi.com. She is also certified to teach yoga, fitness, reiki, and MFR. Kalindi also serves as CMO at OnCourtOffCourt.com, a leading supplier of tennis, pickleball, fitness and yoga training aids and equipment and has been published in Tennis industry Magazine and Pickleball Magazine, and has conducted workshops at conferences around the world. In her spare time, Kalindi plays tennis, pickleball and table tennis and enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and biking and cross country skiing in the winter.
