[To Be Published in: OUR GREEN BOOK]

If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then shoes are her unrelenting lover that keeps her lying awake at night. Men always wonder why women have so many shoes. Well here’s an answer for you – a lady can never have too many Christians, Marcs, Michaels, or Jimmys in her life. Can she?

We all have shoes, but we rarely think about where they came from – and Barney’s doesn’t count. Shoes are political in many respects. Do you wear wooden, strappy sandals? Hippie. Creative Rec High Tops? Hipster. Tap Shoes? Snow Shoes? Louboutin’s Nappa Leather Snub Toe, Covered Platform Mary-Jane with Ruffled Instep in Red?

The type of shoes you have does not define who you are, but they are clearly a sign of your social status – just like your home and the car you drive can be. How else are shoes political? Charities donate shoes to needy children all over the world, and more importantly, shoes are an environmental issue that is too often ignored.

A pair of pointy stiletto heels can literally destroy lives and ecosystems on their journey to your feet. In just one year in the United States alone, 350 million pairs of shoes are produced using environmentally destructive materials like toxic dyes, synthetics, glues, and petroleum-based rubber. All of these results in millions of pounds of waste and poison that are set loose into our environment.

Leather shoes don’t just hurt animals, leather also hurts our planet. The livestock and leather industry is one of the largest contributors to global warming, environmental pollution, and consumption of natural resources. It requires the use of pesticides and petrochemicals to make leather products. Producing leather also requires massive amounts of energy throughout the entire production process. This includes practices such as transporting feed to animals, removal of waste, and electricity used in operations.

Lucky for us, the fashion industry is making strides towards finding new and innovative ways to lessen our environmental impact. Olsenhaus is a shoe brand that holds a philosophy based on respect for all beings, as well as a high standard of ethical social responsibility in animal rights, human rights, and the environment. Without sacrificing style or quality, Olsenhaus shoes can rival the most popular labels.

Fashion’s Queen of Punk, Vivienne Westwood, teamed up once again with Brazilian shoe brand, Melissa, to create an entire line of sustainable slippers. The Melissa Three Strap Sandal is made from MEFLEX, a revolutionary breathable plastic that is 100% recyclable. Vivienne Westwood and shoe company, Melissa, were both adamant about using environmentally-friendly materials. They went to great lengths to make sure the shoes were not only free of animal products, but also cruelty free. Shockingly 99.9% of the factory’s water and waste was recycled!

Wonderful non-profit organizations like, Soles 4 Souls, believes that doing good doesn’t require fancy footwork. They lessen their environmental footprint by donating “gently worn” shoes to people in need. Soles 4 Souls saves our footwear from an early death and gets them on the feet of people who really need them. They receive donations from everyday people through schools, manufacturers, churches and synagogues. Even celebrities like Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Simpson have donated shoes from their own lines. To this day, Soles 4 Souls has donated 4 million pairs of shoes to people in over 125 different countries around the world.

Women can walk taller – about 4-6 inches taller – knowing that their shoes aren’t making a negative impact on the planet. With advancements in technology and awareness among the industry, designers all across the board are working on incredible merchandise that doesn’t compromise our environment or our ethics. Just by choosing to be socially conscious and making choices that have a positive effect on our planet will take us all a long way.

Samantha Mimi Nguyen