I know Earth Day was last week but that does not mean you need to stop being green. The thing with sneakers is that not only are they expensive, but in order to get the most out of them you should get a new pair every few months. That's a lot of sneakers in landfills. Brooks Running gives some great tips on how to get the most out of your sneakers. Some of these you may already do, and some you may not have thought of. They are:
- Phase One: Your brand-new running shoes
First, enjoy your brand-new running shoes for 300 miles of pure running joy. Use their cushioning and resiliency to give you the perfect ride as you run day after day. - Phase Two: Transition to casual street shoes
Once they pass the 300-mile mark, those trusty running shoes make great casual street-wear. Pair them with jeans for a trip to the grocery store, an outing with your dog, or a day at the park.
There are more great ideas so read more.
- Phase Three: Transition to work-around-the-house shoes
Of course, even casual street shoes begin to show signs of age over time. Offer them a change of pace by promoting them to lawn mowing, painting, or gardening shoes. - Phase Four: Retirement from active work life
You may think the next best place for your well-worn, around-the-house work shoes is the trash. But wait one minute! If they're still in good shape, those shoes have more life left to give. They can help someone in need when you donate them to charity. Find a local drop-off center in your community or ship them to a national organization, like Soles4Souls or One World Running. - Phase Five: A final resting spot
After years of use and wear, those running shoes are ready for their final resting spot in a local landfill. [At Brooks], if they have a BioMoGo midsole, parts of the shoe will be returned to the earth as reusable byproducts that can help grow trees and plants.
Dries Van Noten
Matthew Williamson
Rebecca
Other companies do shoe recylcing programs too. Nike does it. I always use my old running shoes as regular shoes after a while. I even did this is HS after a season of basketball those would become my daily sneaks.
1I try to be green and all but I would never wear my running sneakers as "casual street shoes!" I'd most definitely wear them to garden or mow the lawn though, that is if I had a yard.
2it always makes me sad when my shoes have passedthe phase one stage since i work out a lot...and shoes ARE expensive. i think that maybe i'll really start to make them 'around the house' type shoes afterwards so i get my money's worth cause you're right - there really are too many shoes in landfills...
3sI have read in countless place to replace running shoes every 300 to 500 miles, probably depending on use. For example if you really abuse them you would want to replacement than sooner than someone who doesn't abuse them.
4I have never thought about all this before. Great tips.
5I have to second Nike's Reuse-a-Shoe program! Info:
http://www.letmeplay.com/reuseashoe
I'm not normally a Nike fan, but I've seen the playground surfaces made from recycled sneakers and they're awesome! They're springy and colorful and, hey, not a landfill.
And don't forget freecycle and similar programs - someone will always want your shoes, no matter how worn out.
6my sneaks are beat just after the running phase. by the time they would reach the donation phase, i'd be too embarrassed to think about giving those away.
7I work in a kitchen washing dishes etc and after I gave my sneakers a wash, they're now my work shoes, work perfectly! saved me money on buying new shoes just for my job!
8OMG, I totally do this. My husband always tells me I have a gazillion shoes...I have my "current" running shoes and when I get new ones, the old ones become walking around town shoes. Then they become "chore shoes" that I only wear when I'm doing housework. Then they usually become a recycled playground surface because I donate them to the shoe recycler place.
9Awesome tips.
10good to know. i'm wearing out my running shoes pretty fast now and i already have a pair of casual wear/garden work shoes. i wonder where i can donate them locally. . . must check out.
11Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.