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Austin South Asian | May 2022
Small Steps You And Your Family Can Take To Go Green This Earth Day If you’re like many parents, you want to set a good example for your children and teach them how they can positively impact the world around them. However, when it comes to sustainable efforts, the responsibility of saving the environment can seem like a monumental task.
To make shopping for ecofriendly footwear easier, Rack Room Shoes created a shoppable page on its website featuring shoes made with sustainable materials. Visit: rackroomshoes. com/cs/sustainablematerial. Choose Paper Over Plastic
Going green while parenting might sound challenging, but small steps can make a difference, especially as more companies and brands are getting in on the effort to go green. Get started on the right foot this Earth Day with the following tips and insights: Choose Eco-Friendly Shoes Children’s feet grow fast and need to be replaced often. That’s why you can consider selecting footwear that incorporates eco-friendly features. Here are a few sustainable options:
• Teva’s signature sandal straps are made from recycled plastic bottles to reduce waste. The brand offers styles for men, women, and children. • Birkenstock’s classic and modern footbed sandals, which come in various colors, are made from nat-
ural materials such as cork, natural latex, and jute. • The TOMS Earthwise Collection includes an assortment of on-trend flats with a 50% recycled cotton canvas upper and a non-removable insole made with 50% eco-content for a seamless fit.
With a bit of creativity, you can replace plastic utensils, sandwich bags, and single-use beverage containers at home with sustainable, reusable alternatives. Also, try purchasing favorite household items in bulk instead to limit the amount of packaging you consume. While individual efforts are important, companies will also need to embrace change. Retailers, such as Rack Room Shoes, are enacting company-wide initiatives. They have begun replacing plastic bags with paper in many locations and
will be using only paper bags, chain-wide, in the coming months. The company also recycles, utilizes energy efficient lighting and has sustainable flooring at many locations. You and your children can make an impact by taking a reusable tote when you shop and learning about your local recycling program together. “It’s important to work with our customers, associates and partners to positively impact our environment,” said Rack Room Shoes president and CEO Mark Lardie. “We are making progress by continuing to identify ways we can evolve our products and processes for a more sustainable future.” The small steps you take to go green will keep the planet healthy for generations to come. (StatePoint)
To Create A Greener Future This Earth Day, Rethink, Reuse And Refill Humans produce over 380 million tons of plastic every year, according to Plastic Oceans. Because plastic doesn’t biodegrade, it creates waste, litter and pollution. But there are steps you can take to reduce your own contribution to this mounting problem. Here are a few ideas to consider this Earth Day:
nies can convert plastic into a valuable resource. • Ditch single-use items: Speaking of plastic bottles, the array of amazing reusable water bottles available today will have you breaking your single-use bottle habit in no time. Models today include all kinds of innovative features that make it easy to make the switch, including water filtration, insulation, sleek designs and built-in straws.
• Hold the plastic: Ordering in tonight? Chances are you don’t need the plastic utensils that come with your meal. The good news is that many online food delivery platforms offer you the option of forgoing plastic forks, knives and spoons. If this option isn’t available, you may be able to use a “special instructions” field to make the same request. • Write right: Switch to brands that are working toward sustainable solutions, such as Pilot Pen. Since 2007, Pilot has been producing premium pens with recycled content, like B2P. B2P (or ‘Bottle-2-Pen’) Gel pens by G2 contain 89% post-consum-
But refilling goes beyond just water bottles. Eighty-seven percent of Pilot’s best-selling pen brands, including B2P, G2, Precise and erasable FriXion, are 100% refillable and reusable?
er upcycled plastic, and are the world’s first pens made of recycled plastic bottles. With 2.5 million
plastic bottles entering landfills every hour in the United States, this is a good example of how compa-
Simply swap out the empty ink refill for a fresh one and use your favorite pen again and again. It’s a small step you can take to create less plastic waste for continued use.
• Rethink your household routine: Studies show that 39% of shoppers in the United States want “sustainable” options. Roughly the same amount also look for premium quality from the items they choose for their families. So many household items are packaged in plastic, but more sustainable alternatives are available, from zero waste bathroom products to eco-friendly cleaning supplies. Product packaging is also getting eco-friendly updates. Roughly 77% of Pilot’s retail packaging contains recycled materials, and the company is committed to continuing to increase this percentage in the coming years. Manufacturers like Pilot make it easier to make greener choices without having to give up your favorite products. The small choices you make matter. By reducing your use of plastic today, you can help write the story of a more sustainable tomorrow. (StatePoint)
