NIKE
Get in step with Nike's creative kicks contest, where old shoes are turned into art objects.
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Some products can help you shop green
Earth Day has passed, but concerns over the planet's dwindling supplies of oil, clean water, arable land and mineral resources are not going away. Here are a few companies offering ways to think about the individual's role in preserving the planet.
Shoes gain a second life
Nike is hosting its annual Reuse-a-Shoe event Sunday at Niketown in Waikiki, part of its recycling mission aimed at getting people to think of meaningful ways to eliminate waste.
Bring in old athletic shoes (any brand), which will be ground up to make new sport surfaces like soccer fields, basketball courts and playgrounds. This year's goal is to collect 30,000 pairs of shoes.
The collection runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2080 Kalakaua Ave. There will be free refreshments from Jamba Juice, face painting, deejay music, giveaways and environmental displays. Mayor Mufi Hannemann arrives at 2 p.m. to present awards to the schools that collected the most shoes.
Outrigger Corp. is collecting shoes among employees and will deliver them at the event, encouraging other companies to participate as well.
Among the day's highlights is a Creative Kicks Contest inviting all to try turning old athletic shoes into works of art. Entries will be accepted from 9 a.m. to noon at Niketown. Prizes of new Nikes will be awarded in categories of Most Creative, Most Earth-Friendly and Best Overall Shoe Re-use, in four age divisions starting from kindergarten. (Participants must be present to win, and only one entry will be accepted per person.)
Nike created the Reuse-a-Shoe program in 1993. Visit www.nikereuseashoe.com or call 983-5804.
No paper or plastic
Shasa Emporium has developed its own branded Eco bags made by ChicoBag.
The bags are colorful, lightweight and ultracompact to provide a stylish yet sustainable alternative to throwaway plastic and paper bags. The bags can be folded and carried in a pocket, purse, backpack or car glove box.
The bags, made of sturdy woven nylon, expand to 18 inches square, folding down to 3 by 4 inches. They can be machine-washed in cold water and drip-dried.
According to ChicoBags, the average American uses 300 to 700 plastic shopping bags per year. That number comprises three to seven gallons of crude oil.
The bags sell for $8 at Shasa Emporium, Kahala Mall, and the boutique is offering a one-time 10 percent discount to those using Shasa Eco bags (some restrictions apply). Call 735-5122.
Also, the Outrigger Condominium Collection is offering its guests a free reusable travel tote when they stay a minimum of two nights at any Outrigger resort condominium. Reservations: (800) 688-7444.
The totes are green with a monstera leaf design, and measure 16 by 16 by 4 inches. Additional totes are $2.99 each.
Nix the fancy wrap
While most beauty companies build their marketing around layers of fancy packaging, Lush takes the opposite approach. A majority of Lush products are formulated so that they can be sold "naked," with no packaging at all.
Their products include bath bombs and shampoo and bubble bath bars sold in solid, dry forms that don't dissolve until they meet up with water. Any packaging, including gift wrap, is biodegradable.
One reminder of the company's association with the Earth is its Geo Phyzz bath bomb ($6.95), made of sea salt and red clay from Molokai.
Selected for their high level of purity, the Hawaiian volcanic sea salts (30 percent) are combined with coarse sea salts (40 percent) and seaweed to help relax tired muscles and moisturize. The bomb, shown above, is scented with cypress, sandalwood oils and pine.
Geo Phyzz is at Lush's Ala Moana and Royal Hawaiian Center boutiques, or online at www.lushusa.com.