California students help environment by serving new life for old tennis balls

PALO ALTO, Calif. (NBC, KYMA) - A group of students in Palo Alto, California are doing what they can to serve up a new life for old tennis balls while helping the environment.

A grand slam for the planet as thousands of old tennis balls are now serving schools, animal shelters, and assisted living centers around the Bay Area thanks to Bin to Better, a student led environmental organization turning waste into opportunity.

The rubber and felt on a tennis ball can't be recycled, and about 125 million of them end up in the landfill each year.

So students in Bin to Better organization rallied on their time off sorting thru donations taken at local tennis clubs.

They cut the balls up to be used as chair leg covers at school, in walkers at assisted living homes, and as enrichment toys for pets.

Fremont Elementary teacher Ms. MacKenzie said they work great to keep the classroom quieter and prevent scratches on the floor.

Kim Grant, Director of the Kim Grant Tennis Academy in Palo Alto, is also glad to be a part of Bin to Better, saying it helps keep nearby waterways clean.

The organization is expanding and thinking outside the box for solutions to waste problems in the community.

So ask around at your tennis club or check out Bin to Better's website if you'd like to join the rally.