What Kinds of Shoes Are Good for the Environment? ~ Women Shoes Advisory

What Kinds of Shoes Are Good for the Environment?

Many materials used in shoes require large amounts of energy to make. Plastics are refined from fossil fuels, a process that contributes heavily to the production of greenhouse gases. Natural materials such as leather and rubber are often harvested in an unsustainable way that contributes to harmful emissions and deforestation. In addition, many shoes are thrown away after only a few uses and end up clogging landfills. However, you can buy eco-friendly shoes and have a positive impact on the environment.

If you want to limit the environmental impact of buying shoes, your best bet is to buy used. Many vintage clothing stores--as well as some new ones--stock a variety of pre-owned footwear, some of which is in very good condition. Unfortunately for the environment, it is not uncommon for shoe consumers to buy a pair of shoes, wear them a couple times and then get rid of them as styles change or, for children, feet grow. Vintage shoes can also look cool, especially when they're paired with classic clothing. By wearing used shoes, you spare the environment from the impact of the shoe-making process, which includes harvesting raw materials, manufacturing, and transporting.

One of the best ways to save the environment and still protect your feet is to buy shoes that are made from recycled materials. This is because the harvesting and processing of shoe materials can heavily tax the environment. Most shoes are made from a mix of natural and synthetic materials. The natural materials, including cotton, leather and rubber, are often the products of conventional agriculture practices that use large amounts of pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizers. Synthesized materials, such as plastic and nylon, are made from crude oil, the processing of which causes pollution and releases toxins into the environment. For these reasons, a number of shoemakers specialize in shoes that are made either entirely or mostly from recycled materials. Many shoe stores are beginning to stock environmentally conscious brands. Be sure to try to find out the amount of recycled material in the shoes, because a higher percentage is better.

While many shoe brands employ massive overseas manufacturing operations that can be dirty, exploitative and dangerous, others have worked to make their products ethically. Some shoe companies try to give back to Third World countries by donating new shoes for every pair they sell. Look carefully into where shoes are made and try to determine whether the process is ethical. Some nongovernmental organizations examine the ethical practices of shoemakers to determine their social impact. Some online stores specialize in fair-trade shoes, and the careful shopper can actually trace some shoes to their original factory using the Internet.

Bodybuilding.com - Buying The Best Shoes: A Review Of Terms And Types!
www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drryan57.htm
Getting some basic knowledge about shoes is the best way to avoid being sidelined in the future. Learn basic shoe facts such as terminology, anatomy, recommendations ...
Type of Shoes to Wear on Concrete Floor eHow
www.ehow.com Home & Garden Home Safety General Home Safety
Type of Shoes to Wear on Concrete Floor. Spending a great deal of time standing on a concrete floor can cause you foot pain and feelings of fatigue. Many workplaces ...
Types of Water Shoes - Easy Exercise on HubPages
easyexercise.hubpages.com Aquatics
Shoes are specialized-from the design to the function. In the world of fitness and athletics, the world of shoes has become very specialized. In the water world-the ...
Shoe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design ...
Fashion, Style & Personal Care - How To Information eHow
www.ehow.com/fashion
Take your career to new heights. Our expert advice will help you land a job, navigate complicated work situations, get a raise or promotion or jumpstart a new career.
What type of shoes did the 1920's flapper girls wear, I have a ...
uk.answers.yahoo.com Beauty & Style Fashion & AccessoriesLast updated: Nov 04, 2006 14 posts First post: Nov 04, 2006
Nov 04, 2006 Best Answer: Kind of like the shoes professional dancers wear....check out the pictures on here. And rolled down stockings so the knees showed and they ...
TOMS Shoes: Good Marketing Bad Aid Good Intentions Are
goodintents.org/in-kind-donations/toms-shoes
TOMS Shoes: Good Marketing Bad Aid Posted on October 25, 2010 at 4:25 pm. Despite all that Ive written about the problems caused by donating ...
08/28/2003 - Wearing of open-toed shoes in an office environment.
www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=...
August 28, 2003 Ms. Heather Siemon 4015 Estermarie Dr., Apt. 43 Cincinnati, OH 45236 Dear Ms. Siemon: Thank you for your July 29, 2003 letter to the Occupational ...
Affect and Cognition McGraw-Hill Answers
answers.mheducation.com/marketing/consumer-behavior/affect-and...
by peter. edited by paul ducham. environment; behavior; marketing strategies; affect and cognition; types of affective responses
TAF, The Athlete's Foot
www.athletesfootenc.com
At TAF we will professionally fit you for running and walking shoes. Our fit technicians are trained to look at your feet and check your gait cycle to ensure that we ...
Cheap Air Jordans For Sale, Good Quality Jordans Shoes
www.cheapairjordanpro.com
Cheap Jordans sale online with free shipping. Cheap Air Jordans made with advanced materials wii bring you unprecedented fellings. Jordans Cheap sale with big ...
My MBTI Personality Type - MBTI Basics - The Myers & Briggs
www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics
MBTI Basics : The purpose of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI ) personality inventory is to make the theory of psychological types described by C. G ...
Types of Plants, Plant Data for Catci (Cactus) Flowers Herbers ...
plantlifeonline.net/plant/search
Scientific Common USDA Zones Exposure Type Height Spread; Brassica oleracea: Cauliflower: 1 - 8a: Full sun: Vegetables: Under 1' Under 1' Rosa: George Burns Rose:
Birkenstock Shoes, Sandals, Insoles - Zappos.com
www.zappos.com/birkenstock
Birkenstock at Zappos.com. Free shipping BOTH ways, 365-day return policy, 24/7 customer service. Call (800) 927-7671.
Power Sculpt Fitness Blog: Tips for Finding Good Cross-Training Shoes
befitandwell.blogspot.com/2011/04/tips-for-finding-good-cross...3 posts By Power Sculpt Fitness Blog Published Apr 18, 2011
Apr 20, 2011 It is recommended to replace your cross-training shoes after 60-100 hours of activity - depending on the brand, activity and body weight. Teaching 11 group ...
What kind of white shoes does Jason derulo wear (whit the white ...
uk.answers.yahoo.com Entertainment & Music CelebritiesLast updated: May 28, 2010 3 posts First post: May 28, 2010
May 28, 2010 Best Answer: http://www.pickyourshoes.com/item.asp?it http://www.pickyourshoes.com/item.asp?it
What are some good standing/walking all-day shoes? Ask
ask.metafilter.com/56206
What are some good standing/walking all-day shoes (8 hours worth of standing and/or walking around the office? I work in a sign production office, so there's a lot of ...
Beach bum
hot-teen-ass.tumblr.com
We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us.
kind - definition of kind by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus ...
www.thefreedictionary.com/kind
kind 1 (k nd) adj. kinder, kindest. 1. Of a friendly, generous, or warm-hearted nature. 2. Showing sympathy or understanding; charitable: a kind word.
Shoes Manufacturers, Shoes Suppliers & Shoes Wholesalers at ...
shoes.tradekey.com Products
Find Shoes Manufacturers, Shoes Suppliers & Wholesalers of Shoes from China, Hong Kong, USA & Shoes Products from India at TradeKey.com