Why One Japanese Company Is Turning Baseball Bats Into Chopsticks

What happens after baseball season is through? Hyogoo Uratani isn’t letting the broken bats go to waste—he’s turning them into chopsticks at his manufacturing company, Hyozaemon. One broken bat can yield four or five sets of chopsticks, and money from their sale is donated to pay for the reforestation of aodamo trees. Bats made out of the strong, lightweight wood from aodamo trees are becoming rare as the supply of these trees is being depleted. By recycling the bats, Uratani is helping to replenish a precious natural resource and making it possible for future generations of players to swing for the fences. SUBSCRIBE: #Baseball #chopsticks #Japan This story is a part of our Planet Earth series. From mammals to insects and birds to reptiles, we share this great big world with all manner of creatures, large and small. Come with us to faraway places as we explore our great big planet and meet some of its wildest inhabitants.