Sneakers may seem like an everyday essential — but behind every pair lies an environmental journey that spans raw materials, manufacturing, shipping and, too often, landfill disposal. The global footwear industry produces more than 24 billion pairs of shoes every year, making it one of the most resource-intensive categories in fashion.

In this new episode of the Seeing Green Podcast’s Greening My… series, we explore what it really means to walk lighter on the planet — and how the next pair of sneakers you choose can be part of the solution.

We cover:

• The environmental footprint of footwear — from fossil fuel-based materials and water-intensive manufacturing to waste and microplastic pollution
• The innovators reinventing sneakers with recycled and natural materials, regenerative farming partnerships, circular design and takeback programs
• Everyday lifestyle brands like Thousand Fell, Nothing New, Clae, Grounded People and Cariuma that are making sustainability stylish, accessible and mainstream
• Performance and athletic pioneers like Allbirds, Vivobarefoot and Kane Footwear using biomechanics, biomaterials and carbon reduction to rethink how sneakers are made and worn

The episode wraps with practical tips to help you extend the life of your shoes, shop more intentionally and participate in circular systems that keep footwear out of landfills.

Because every step counts, and choosing sustainable sneakers is one more way to move toward a cleaner future.

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