Another company that has stepped up and is offering renewable materials in their shoes is Mizuno, which has managed to get their renewable percentage as high as 94% in some of their footwear.  This is an incredible number because it means that the shoes are almost completely made from products that are environmentally sustainable for a long time to come.  This phenomenon is not exclusively found in the running shoe sector, however, as Scarpa has developed the Hurricane ski boot, which is made from a similar material to the Mizuno shoes.  This is the first ski boot of this type, so there are a few kinks to be worked out, but it is definitely more sustainable than anything that has been created before.

One problem that these companies are now experiencing, however, is how to market these products to their customers.  It remains to be seen how people will react to “green” running shoes and ski boots, since this is an entirely new technology that is being introduced.  If consumers begin taking the environment more seriously, we might see these renewable products become more common throughout the country.  It will be up to these companies to make consumers believe that these products are truly worth it, however, so coming up with an effective marketing campaign will be vital.

Going green does not have to be difficult and as these examples have shown, it is possible to incorporate green living into your everyday exercise routine.  By getting outside and enjoying the environment, you can learn to appreciate everything that the environment offers us.  If you choose to lift weights in order to get yourself in shape, you can reduce the amount of electricity that you are using, especially if you choose to lift outside.  It might also help to know that you are not along in this process, as Olympic Committees and major shoe manufacturers are also doing their part to help out the environment.  While this partnership between sports and the environment is still in its beginning stages, we are definitely headed in the right direction as we try to make our way of living more sustainable for the future.

Photo by: Andrey Armyagov -
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