But What Do I Do With All These Leather Shoes? Help People

So you've gone vegan, or you're on your way, and you're at the point where you want to (and can afford to) get rid of your pre-vegan shoes made from animal skins, knowing well that vegan shoes are out there in force*, whether you're content to wear sneakers at all times or you're among those who take stylish shoes very seriously and have a closet full of them.

But like me, one of your hats is that of an environmentalist, so the thought of throwing your leather shoes into the garbage makes you cringe, and you also like helping out your fellow humans in whatever ways you can.

Well then, you need to learn about a very cool project that Mary Martin of Animal Person twittered about last night: Soles 4 Souls, a charity that got its start providing shoes to the 2004 Asian tsunami victims. You can donate your "gently worn" shoes to this nonprofit, whether by dropping them off at a participating location or by shipping them, and Soles 4 Souls will get them to people who need them, not just to people in the United States but to those in great need throughout the world. If you're able to donate money for new shoes, that's great too, but for those who can't afford donations and who also are looking for a way to get the leather out of their closets, this could be a great opportunity. The "Ways to Help" page for individuals notes that you can also organize a shoe drive in your community--and encourage all your fellow vegans and vegetarians to take advantage of the opportunity.

While you're exploring the site, check out the section on Barefoot Week, coming up June 1-7, during which Soles 4 Souls will be giving 50,000 pairs of new shoes to the homeless in five U.S. cities while simultaneously collecting gently used shoes.

Of course, you can also check with your local charities and see if they can use the shoes for the in-need in your own city. Whatever you do, just don't throw the shoes out--do something good with them.

---

*Where can you get vegan shoes? For one, especially if you can't afford to spend much, you can just check your local shoe stores and look for shoes whose tags report that the materials are all "manmade" or synthetic. Inexpensive shoe stores are your friend. You can also check out the many online stores that sell vegan shoes, including stores that are exclusively vegan (noted with EV below). Shoes here may be more expensive, but with increased expense may come increased durability and, in some cases, increased Earth-friendliness too. Here's a sample list:

• Moo Shoes (EV)
• Alternative Outfitters (EV)
• Ragazzi (EV)
• Simple Shoes (link goes to women's section; browse by category under women, men, and kids; this is a very cool, Earth-friendly company all-around)
• Zappos' Vegetarian (vegan) section
• Planet Shoes' Vegan Shoe Shop (link goes to women's section; men's and kids' shoes available too)

Edit: Please see member AR Philosophy's comment below about other online stores and about trying to avoid shoes and other apparel made in sweatshops (it's a bit embarrassing that I didn't include Autonomie Project's shoes in the list, given that thanks to Fair Trade blogger Zarah, I posted briefly on them several months ago). Do a bit of research into specific company's practices/policies when you're preparing to buy.