يومياتWalk the Walk
Michelle Parkes ·
Make a difference to the world by getting curious about your sneakers.
If you want to spread goodness wherever you tread then change the future via your footwear. The world makes 23 billion pairs of sneakers each year - about three times the amount of people in the world - and throws away 300 million pairs, most of which end up in landfill, and take decades to decompose.
But you, and your families, can change this. By making conscious choices about what shoes to buy you can actually play your part in transformation. Firstly, we can often do something by not doing something else. If we all stop buying the sneakers made out of petroleum, rubber and virgin plastic (which produce too much carbon dioxide), for example, then that alone will make a difference.
But (secondly) it isn’t just about avoiding the bad guys, but also supporting the good guys, getting behind them with your money, minds and mouths. If we all actively seek out sneakers with a strong sustainability profile, whose makers have a genuine passion for helping the world’s ecology to thrive, then we will be really getting somewhere.
As sneaker lovers, each and every one of us (children included) have plenty of power. By becoming curious, devoting time and energy to researching shoe brands and production processes, and then only buying from those whom we respect (i. e. those who respect the earth) we can make great strides towards positive change. It’s a pretty good sign, for example, if a brand has information on their website about their ethical profile, how they treat their workers, what materials they use to make their shoes and any other things they do for charity or the environment.
As sneaker lovers, each and every one of us (children included) have plenty of power.
Once you start digging around on the internet you’ll find lots out about different materials, chemical processes and how you can impact the world just by the shoes you choose to wear. You’ll also find out some fairly amazing stuff about the sneaker-makers who are going above and beyond to make things better. Just a couple of examples here, and let’s start with the big names: in 2017, Adidas sold one million pairs of sneakers made from ocean waste and in 2019 they launched their first ever sneaker made entirely from recycled plastic. One sustainability sneaker maestro you might have heard of is Veja, whose entire brand is founded on transparency, fair trade and using organic, raw materials. As a result, their sneakers cost five times more than the average pair to make, an eye-watering fact we all need to keep in mind when we are scouring the internet for deals! Fishing nets, coffee grounds and old tyres are all things that might get repurposed into a pair of Ecoalf’s lightweight trainers, also containing recycled PET bottles and renewable sorona fibres. Speaking of repurposing, sneaker brand, Nothing New uses only recycled plastic; in fact 5.6 plastic bottles and 160 gallons of water are saved with every pair of sneakers that they make.
These are just a handful of inspiring sneaker stories; obviously there are many more movers and shakers of the shoe-world to discover as you continue to take sneaky steps towards conscious consumerism. So go ahead, Earth Cubs, and choose your funky footwear wisely. Because though all sneakers come in pairs, they are definitely not made equal.
