A couple of weeks ago, we published on our blog “Why Shoes Can Make a Global Impact.” We got a lot of feedback because many people didn’t know about the facts regarding shoes and sneakers. In fact, disposing of shoes in a way that’s socially responsible could help the planet!
As we noted in the last article, the facts from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
- Textiles, including shoes, represent 65.7 percent of the content in landfills.
- Americans throw away an average of 4.48 pounds of waste, each day.
- The average person does not know that people around the planet repurpose clothing and shoes.
- The majority of the global population, 70 percent, use shoes and apparel previously owned by others.
- The primary reason textiles end up in landfills is consumers.
In our earlier article, we featured our video about micro-entrepreneurs. But in this post, we want to talk about the planet. Millions of people in the U.S. and worldwide are highly concerned about climate change. In short, we each play a part in trying to ensure that the lives of people, animals, and all living things. So, it’s our responsibility to ensure don’t destroy the planet in the coming years because we failed to do anything.
How Long Does It Take for Footwear to Decompose
Many people don’t realize, but a single shoe has dozens of parts sewn, stitched and glued together. Also, some components of shoes may include rubber parts for the shoe soles. Unfortunately, when shoes end up in landfills, they cause a lot of harm to the environment and all living things.
For instance, the decomposition process for shoes takes many, many years—generations. And as shoes begin to decompose, they start to release toxins into the air. As we know, these toxins are dangerous to human health, which is why people living close to landfills may have a higher incidence of respiratory illnesses.
Further, the decomposition process is also harmful to the environment. Meaning, those toxins that go into the air and seep into the soil emit poisons affecting our natural environment. What’s worse is that, depending on the shoe components, it could take as many as 80 to 100 years for shoes to decompose completely. And that’s more years than many human lives on this planet!
Why a Shoe Drive Fundraiser is Socially Responsible
If you refer to the EPA facts, textiles, including shoes, make up more than 65 percent of the content in landfills. Unfortunately, one of the primary reasons why shoes end up going into the trash is that people don’t know how to get rid of them in a socially responsible way. In other words, they don’t know how shoes get re-purposed.
Well, a shoe drive fundraiser provides a socially responsible way! Doing one allows you to raise money for a good cause by collecting gently worn, used and new shoes. Once the shoe drive fundraiser ends, the footwear gets consolidated with many others. And soon they get shipped to developing nations, such as Haiti, Colombia, and Pakistan.
When the shoes arrive in developing countries, they get purchased by micro-entrepreneurs for a low cost. In many overseas communities, people needs to work opportunities to make a good living. In turn, consumers buy the shoes in communities, and the life of a pair of shoes gets extended. And that’s how repurposing works!
Adding a Shoe Drive Fundraiser to Another Event
Now you know why shoe drive fundraisers make a lot of sense from a social good and even environmental perspective. So, as prepare for the coming year, think about doing a shoe drive fundraiser. It could exist as a stand-alone effort or as part of a broader fundraising campaign. Ultimately, shoe drive fundraising partners issued you the check for the shoes collected. Therefore, there’s no need to ask your supporters for financial donations or to sell merchandise.
Our formula is easy: More shoes = More money.
The New Year is an opportunity for your organization to raise the visibility of your brand. But it’s also a chance to provide your community with a socially responsible way to dispose of unwanted shoes. And finally, you could help people around the world and, of course, support the planet!
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