this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2026
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Science Memes

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The HOA isn't going to be happy about the colour, though. (mander.xyz)
submitted 1 day ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[–] pedz@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

So we're just spreading trash in the environment and feeling good about it because it can be reused by other animals?

This just made me look up and learn about the environmental impact of tennis balls.

Every year, an estimated 300 million tennis balls are manufactured globally, and most of them end up in landfills. The rubber core is pressurized with air or nitrogen to give the ball its signature bounce. However, rubber itself is a challenging material to recycle, especially when combined with pressurization and other materials. The felt covering is partially synthetic (nylon), which contributes to the microplastic pollution problem. Synthetic fibers shed during play, adding to global plastic waste.

[–] Pirat@lemmy.org 3 points 18 hours ago

So we’re just spreading trash in the environment and feeling good about it because it can be reused by other animals?

Sometimes it just works. Small octopuses love to take up residence in a beer bottle. It might not be the prettiest thing to find on the ocean bottom but it's often home to one of the most intelligent invertebrates.

And, after all, that glass is just congealed sand.

[–] scala@lemmy.ml 2 points 19 hours ago

That's the problem with Tennis. The most wasteful sport as balls can't be recycled unless used for slides for school chairs or now nests for mice.