7/19/10 One Croc sandal, recycledWho says the little guy can't stand up to the major corporation? Call up Michael Moore, I've got a story for him!
Three hundred fifty-three days into the challenge, and the blog, as a public forum, finally demonstrated it could throw its weight around.
Apparently, my emails and blog posting pinged around Crocs, Inc. until I received a welcomed email from Melissa, Program Manager for Crocs Cares. A quick perusal of the web site shows me that Crocs Cares is primarily focused on getting shoes on the feet of people worldwide who need them -- a commendable and appropriate goal -- but they also must occasionally handle the outraged complaints of random customers.
That would be me.
Shortly after tossing the croc into the trash and publishing the related blog post, I received an email from Melissa who explained that Crocs, Inc. once did, indeed, have a recycling program in which they ground up old sandals and sent the grind to a company that used it in irrigation systems and nursery ground cover. For various reasons connected to the "overall carbon footprint" they've stopped this, but Melissa offered to make an exception for me.
Heck yes, I'm all for preferential treatment.
Fortunately, I don't take the garbage out often, and I was able to rescue the sandal from the trash can, with limited gag reflex. (Six months of diapers have really steeled my stomach.)
Joanna dropped the shoe in the mail today, and we have assurances from Melissa that she will forward it along to the company that grinds them up and uses the resulting rubber mulch.
When I asked Melissa if she'd like me to say anything on her behalf in the blog (Does it seem like I've been fully co-opted by corporate America?), she requested that I let you all know, Dear Readers, that Crocs, Inc. is about to launch a formal partnership with Soles4Souls to find good feet for lightly used crocs. When you are ready to downsize your pair, be sure to check out the Crocs website to find out how you can give them a worthy afterlife.
Have no fear, my campaign for corporate recycling responsibility (outlined here and here) lives on.
It's just that now I can feel good about wearing crocs on the campaign trail.
It took me several years to love the concept of crocs, but I do now. Our Crocs, however, are never lightly used. I wear mine until they brak (and I'm still wearing them- who needs straps?) and my kids wear them and pass them down. So far we have 5 years on the adult pairs and the older child, the ones that have been outgrown have been passed to younger friends. Diluted bleach seems to clear all the grunge up, as needed. I'm afraid that mailing a croc without a strap to the US would not be the best use of carbon, though, even for recycling. Maybe I should ask if plastics recycling here will take them?
ReplyDeleteGood idea, G. Figure out how to properly recycle them close to home -- if they ever wear out!
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