(Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-wearing-black-sneakers-sitting-in-mountain-91223/)
When most people look at a pair of skate shoes, they give little thought to the impact on the environment. What is going unnoticed is the fact that there is a lot of pollution and other environmental problems in the industry behind the shoes most consumers wear.
What people need to realize is that it is not the few pairs of shoes they own. The footwear industry is massive. It is estimated that more than 20 billion pairs of shoes are manufactured every year. When you consider the industry at that scale, the problems can be devastating for the environment.
So what is the environmental toll of the shoes we wear? Read on to learn more about the environmental impact of the sneaker industry.
Pollution
Most people have no idea what a sneaker factory looks like or the processes that go into making a pair of sneakers. Most sneakers are made in giant factories that use large machines and an assortment of chemicals to produce the shoes that end up on store shelves.
Most athletic shoes are not just stitched together. Shoe factories often use an array of chemical adhesives to hold different parts of the shoe together. Beyond that, you might find tanning chemicals, dyes and preservatives used in the manufacturing process.
Even when the chemical waste is hauled to a waste facility, it can still contaminate the environment. However, many sneaker factories operate in countries with lax regulation and enforcement. It is not unheard of for these factories to wash chemicals down drains or to dump them in ways that are not good for the environment. This not only contaminates the local ecosystem, it can be harmful to wildlife.
You also have to consider the production of the materials. Most sneakers are made from plastic or some other type of synthetic textile. This includes materials like polyester, vinyl and thermoplastic polyurethane. While these materials are great for durability, their production is bad for the environment.
Carbon Footprint
The sneaker industry is also having a significant impact on climate change. While automobiles and air travel may have a larger carbon footprint, one study found that the average pair of sneakers generates about 30 pounds of CO2 emissions. About two-thirds of this figure comes from the manufacturing process.
As was mentioned earlier, sneakers are made in large factories that use machinery. Keeping these factories running requires a lot of energy. Since much of the world’s electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, this has a significant impact on climate change. You also have to consider the fact that in many of the countries where most shoes are produced, they use less green energy and more fuels like petroleum and coal.
Many popular sneaker brands have a large carbon footprint before the manufacturing process. With so many shoes being made from different types of plastic, you have to consider the carbon footprint of the plastic. Producing plastics is incredibly energy-intensive. While it does cover more than just the materials in shoes, it is estimated that, from production to incineration, plastics produce about 56 gigatons of carbon emissions.
Once the shoes are made, you have to account for transportation. Most of the big shoe companies manufacture their shoes far from the consumer to take advantage of cheap labor. The shoes then have to be put on boats, planes, trains or trucks to reach the market where they are to be sold. This adds another layer of carbon emissions to the shoes you find at your local retail store.
Disposal
The problem is not over once you are done with a pair of shoes. What did you do with your last pair of old sneakers? Were you able to recycle them or did you put them in the trash? The reality is that most worn-out shoes end up in a landfill.
The first problem is that this leads to billions of pairs of old shoes taking up space in landfills. However, the problem is compounded when you consider how long some of these materials last. Plastics are used in shoes because they are durable. In landfills, this durability can lead to an item that will be there for hundreds or even thousands of years. Worse yet, as plastics degrade, they release chemicals into the environment.
Trying to recycle old shoes might seem like a good solution, but it is not as simple as it may seem. Most plastics are not easy to recycle. Along with that, sneakers are usually made from a variety of materials, so it makes them difficult to recycle.
What the Big Brands are Doing
Many of the big brands are aware of the problem and some are making efforts to create sustainable sneakers. With that said, many of these efforts are more of a gesture than an attempt to do anything significant.
One example is Nike’s reuse a shoe program. Under this program, Nike accepts old athletic shoes and finds ways to recycle or reuse the materials. While this program does have some impact, not all of the materials can be reused or recycled. Additionally, it just extends the life of a product that is already bad for the environment.
Many shoe brands are also trying to move away from using fossil fuels to power their factories. This means switching to sources like solar and wind power to reduce the carbon footprint of shoe manufacturing. This is another good step forward, but there is still a long way to go.
Conclusion
We all wear shoes and we should push for a footwear industry that is good to the planet. As consumers, we can shop with brands that promise to use sustainable materials and take steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Furthermore, we should try to get more from every pair of shoes we buy. You don’t have to throw a pair of shoes away just because they are a little scuffed or some of the stitching comes undone. You can repair and restore old shoes to get more miles out of them.
While buying eco-friendly sneakers and taking steps to get more from every pair is a good start, we can’t rely on individual action alone. We need the major shoe brands to make significant changes. Consumers should support brands that are ethical while also keeping pressure on the big brands that contribute the most to these problems.
