Why You should Wear Adidas Parley Shoes to Help Cleaning the Ocean
One of my favorite sustainability campaigns of 2015 was the result of a partnership between shoe giant adidas and Parley for the Oceans. Parley for the Oceans is an organization in which creators, thinkers and leaders come together to raise awareness about the state of the oceans. They are facing the global problem of dying oceans through plastic waste and created a 3D printed trainer made entirely from materials created using reclaimed ocean waste. The unique shoe design is making waves by not only helping to clean up our oceans but also highlighting to consumers the devastating impact waste has on ocean biodiversity. The beautifully designed educational campaign supports the idea in a playful way and animates you to become a part of the movement.
But can Adidas save the Oceans? It is logistically a big task to get the trash out of the ocean, clean it and transform it into thread. Also the shoes are rather expensive compared to non-sustainable ones. A pair costs around $200 in the online shop and isn’t any different in the technical function then Adidas other shoes. Also, what do consumers do with the shoe once they’re done using them? They dump them and they don’t go away like plastic doesn’t either. Adidas should come up with a mechanism to dispose the shoe to end the circle of waste.
“Nobody can save the oceans alone,” said Cyrill Gutsch, Founder, Parley for the Oceans. “Each of us can play a role in the solution. It’s in the hands of the creative industries to reinvent faulty materials, products, and business models. The consumer can boost the demand for change. But it’s up to eco innovation leaders, like adidas, to make change a reality. With this shoe we demonstrate what’s possible.”
Read the full interview with Cyrill Gutsch on dezeen.com.
And at the end of the day it’s also the consumer who needs to start think differently. Shop less, buy sustainable products, recycle and overthink your behavior with our environment! Who wants to eat fish that contains plastic?
