Saving the Planet one Basketball at a Time | Alexander Oliver Lu Scheel | TEDxYouth@YCYWShanghai

Environmental Impact of Basketball Waste - The industry produces 40 to 50 million basketballs annually, enough to fill an auditorium 10 times over [2] - A staggering 95% of basketballs end up in landfills or are burned [2] - Discarded basketballs decompose into toxic microplastics, polluting soil, water, and air [3] Consumer Behavior and Waste Generation - A survey at YCIS indicates the average student owns almost two basketballs, with some owning six or more [4] - This consumption pattern contributes to a global waste problem [4] Proposed Solutions for Sustainability - Encourage consumers to extend the lifespan of their basketballs [6] - Promote repairing damaged basketballs instead of discarding them [6] - Support recycling or donation programs, such as Wilson's Rebound, to repurpose old basketballs [6] - Advocate for reduced consumption of new basketballs [6]