Green.org sat down with Chris Gronkowski, former NFL Player turned reusable water bottle entrepreneur to share why he built Ice Shaker.

Chris Gronkowski first made a career for himself as a professional football player. He joined the NFL in 2010 after being signed by the Dallas Cowboys as a fullback. During his years in the NFL, Gronkowski also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.

In 2016, he decided to put his entrepreneurial skills to the test when he set out to create a protein shaker bottle that would alleviate many of the issues he and other avid athletes experience with standard protein shakers.

Chris, thanks for being here! Tell us a little bit about you and your background:

I am the middle of 5 Gronkowski brothers, 4 of us played in the NFL, and my oldest brother got drafted into the MLB. After my NFL career I created a company called Ice Shaker. I got onto ABC’s Shark Tank and landed a deal with Mark Cuban and Alex Rodriguez.

What is a fun fact about you?

I am the shortest in my family at 6’2″.

Why do you think climate change and sustainability is such an important topic today?

As a country, we are extremely wasteful. Growing up, we didn’t have much so we were very resourceful. We all shared cloths, my mom sewed our socks and sweat pants when they got holes and we ate every piece of food that touched our plates. We wouldn’t waste anything. Everything seems to have changed. Plastic water bottles are demanded and waste just builds and builds. As a company, we have saved the world from thousands, if not millions of plastic water bottles being wasted.

What can the average person do to make a difference?

Use a refillable water bottle.

Chris, thanks for being here and sharing your experience as an NFL player and transitioning into being a sustainable entrepreneur!

To purchase your own Ice Shaker, visit their website here.