by Anna@Green Talk,

The second of the most popular post on Green Talk is ”How to Recycle your Blue Jeans.”  For good reason, since according to a 2008 On Earth article,  450 million jeans are purchased  in the US each year.  Besides all of my other suggestions of what to do with your unwanted jeans,  add this one:  Aeropostale has teamed up with DoSomething.org for the fifth annual Teens for Jeans campaign to deliver unwanted jeans to homeless teens.

Before you Run to the Store

Hold on partner.  The take back program doesn’t start until January 16, 2012 and ends February 12, 2012. Simply take back your gently used, but in good condition or new jeans to one of the Aeropostale US or Canada locations during this time period. (Yes, some of us still have the tags on clothing that we never wore.)

For each pair you bring in, you will receive a 25% coupon towards a new pair.  In fact, you might want to sign up for their email updates so you will be the first on your block to know when the yearly take back program commences.

Where Do Your Jeans Go?

The pants will go to a local homeless shelter for those teens who need clothes.  The Campaign has partnered with over 600 homeless shelters in the United States and Canada.

Note, although they will take any size jeans, the shelters are requesting large sizes.

How Successful is this Program?

The Teens for Jeans has collected over one million big blues to cloth teens in shelters.  In fact, last year, 90210 star Lance Lanter, one of the spokespeople for the campaign reported in his video, that in four weeks they collected  542,411 jeans.  Whoot!

Great Project for Schools

Last year, Franklin County High in Winchester, Tennessee collected  3,692 pairs of jeans.  Jump on the bandwagon and rally the troops.  Talk about a great service project for your school.  The contest is open to any elementary, middle, or high school in the US or Canada. Be sure to read the contest rules to enter.

What can you win?

  • a $5000.00 donation to the winning school;
  • one pair of jeans (retail value up to $30.00 per jean) for each student (Sweet!) and
  • a party hosted by sponsors at the winning school (up to approximate value of $2000.00).

Sounds like a fun contest.  So, go ahead and clean out that closet as an excuse to help a homeless teen.  All other unwanted clothes can be sent to Goodwill, Salvation Army, Lupus Foundation, or other organizations.

Anna, you bated us with your Second Most Read Article. What’s the First?

As of this date, the most read article is Organic Color Systems: Wash those Grays Away with a Safer Hair Color.  Yes, Anna has a bit of gray.  And no, the cavemen didn’t cause all of the gray.   (I can’t lie.  They definitely contributed.)

Join the Conversation:

  • Have you participated in any of the Teen for Jeans collection programs?  Tell us how.
  • Do you have a bunch of those old blues to donate?
  • Would you consider starting a school collection?

(Source: www.green-talk.com )