Earth Activism

I must admit I own a pair of Nike shoes. It's difficult because I truly do love the quality footwear the worlds largest show maker manufactures but after reading the Team Sweat blog about Nike and their environmental cleanup issues I am certain to reconsider my next shoe purchase.

I had heard about the labor issues involved in the manufacture of shoes and other apparel in the 3rd World but the imagery and details released in this blog post have changed my buying habits for sure. I cannot with a good conscious be a part of the destruction of natural resources and the environmental pollution that Nike shoes are causing the planet.

I would understand if Nike was unaware of the issue or if there were no other solution but facts are that Nike is aware of the issue and there are a number of alternatives to burning the rubber leftovers. Nike has tried to remedy the problems but it does not seem to have had much of an effect and as the largest shoe maker in the world they truly should have enough pride and concern to properly deal with their waste rubber.

I have no idea what my next pair of shoes will be but they will not be Nike products. I need to do some more research on a proper replacement for my running shoes. Any suggestions on earth friendly running shoes?

TeamSweat » JUNE 9, 2010: THE DUMPING AND BURNING OF NIKE SCRAP SHOE RUBBER

Team Sweat: My team and I left my hotel this morning at 6:30am and drove 90 minutes to a Nike shoe factory in one of the industrial areas outside Jakarta. There we sat and waited (again). We were back on the beat looking to document the dumping and burning of Nike scrap shoe rubber. This is an important issue because Nike has made major public statements about their supposed commitment to protecting the environment. In fact, if you read their most recent corporate responsibility report, it is loaded with claims and planned initiatives on how they say they will limit their global environmental footprint. I am unsure how successful they are going to be since it seems that they cannot even manage their trash in a way that is responsible.

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