Tom's Encourages Thinking Through Your Feet: Go Barefoot on April 16th

Tom's Shoes, the eco-conscious shoe company which we've profiled before, has a new push to get more shoes to people who need them.  Tom's main mission is simple: buy a pair of shoes and Tom's will send a pair to a child or adult in another country.  Wearing shoes prevents feet from getting cuts and sores on unsafe roads and from contaminated soil. Since the leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted parasites which penetrate the skin through open sores, providing shoes can be a major form of prevention.

This month Tom's is encouraging those of us who can afford to be well-shod (whether it's flip flops, thigh-high boots, or a pair of Tom's beautiful floral red batik chilis shown below) to go without shoes on April 16th.  Not wearing shoes seems like a small symbolic gesture, but many cities and college campuses across the US, Canada, and Europe are planning group events to highlight something many of us take for granted. Consider the impact your own example will set at work, at the gym, and at school. Here are some things that Tom's suggest you can do: go barefoot strolling to the water cooler, walking to the mailbox, sitting in an afternoon meeting or eating on your lunch break.  You can go barefoot for the entire day or just long enough to raise awareness. The website has a list of shoeless events, from Idaho to France.  If you happen to be in Rockville, Maryland, meet up at the Old Red Brick Courthouse at Courthouse Square at 11 AM.  Or, if you're in London, there's a shoeless walk starting at 10:30 at the House of Parliament, past Big Ben, and ending at St Paul's Cathedral.  Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube users can broadcast their support to friends by updating their status, writing a note, or posting a bulletin.  At Tom's site, there are printable fliers, stickers, stencils, and computer banners.

 

Inspired to do more? Want to really get into the spirit and recycle some of your old running shoes in the process? Run for the Planet, the worldwide resource for runners, has a great list of non-profits and charities across the globe that distribute donated shoes. Nike and the National Recycling Coalition also have a reuse-a-shoe program that allows people to develop community-based programs for shoe recycling.  And finally, even those old flip flops can have an aesthetically pleasing new life as a sustainable floor mat. flip flop mat image from wet sand and surf online shop.

Soles4Souls: Impacting Lives One Pair of Shoes at a Time

I must admit that I have a love affair with shoes – from sleek high heels and chunky flip-flops to sporty running shoes and chic boots. According to a recent poll taken by ShopSmart Magazine’s Consumer Reports Research Center, the average woman in the United States owns 19 pairs of shoes. Other surveys report that the average man in the US owns between 3 and 5 pairs of shoes. I personally own around 35 pairs of shoes. How many pairs of shoes are in your own closet? As of right now, there are more than 300 million children, and countless adults without proper footwear in the US and around the world. A pair of shoes for one of these individuals can stop the risk of puncture wounds, worms, disease and even amputation. Soles4Souls is an organization stepping up to provide those individuals with proper footwear. Based in Nashville, Soles4Souls is responsible for receiving and distributing more than 4 million pairs of shoes. Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls, Wayne Elsey, is a former footwear CEO. Together, he and Soles4Souls are on a mission to impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes. While the mission may seem like a small one, the difference made in the lives of the individuals receiving these shoes is phenomenal.

Started by Mr. Elsey (shown at right), who was deeply affected by the Asian Tsunami, Soles4Souls donated hundreds of thousands of pairs to the affected areas. In 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated Mississippi and Louisiana, Souls4Soles stepped up immediately. To date, they’ve donated more than a million pairs of shoes to victims.

While it’s shocking to know that there are so many people without proper footwear, what is even more shocking is the estimated 300 million pairs of shoes are thrown away each year in the US. Mr. Elsey brings it all into perspective when he says that if these shoes were lined up heel to toe, they would stretch from L.A. to New York and back again 20 times. Not only is this company helping individuals who truly need it, but they are doing their part by keeping these shoes from gathering in our landfills. Many individuals throw away shoes that are in great condition, too! Some moms throw their children’s shoes away when they outgrow them and many individuals throw shoes away because the fad is over or they are from last season. It’s wonderful to know that with just a little extra effort, your unwanted shoes can go to someone who desperately needs them. Soles4Souls has been given shoes and support from individuals like Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Simpson, Don Cheadle and many, many other celebrities. I will personally be cleaning out my closet very soon and rather than tossing my old shoes, they will be going straight to Soles4Souls. I challenge you to do the same. There are three warehouse locations you can ship your unwanted shoes to: Alabama (Primary Warehouse Facility) Soles4Souls, Inc. 315 Airport Road Roanoke, AL 36274 Tennessee Soles4Souls, Inc. 112 22nd Street Old Hickory, TN 37138 Nevada Soles4Souls, Inc. Foreign Trade Zone #89 6620 Escondido Street Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 Make a difference in the lives of those who really need it and in our environment when you think of Soles4Souls next time you’re cleaning out your shoe collection.