Sole Tech Announces Eco-Initiative Goals: No Carbon Footprint by 2020
kailee bradstreet
- April 21 2008
- 1,510 views
- 5 comments
Not only are Sole Tech’s shoes eco-friendly, the company’s headquarters in Lake Forrest is making huge strides to become completely carbon neutral by the year 2020. What does that mean for skateboarding? Pierre Andre Senizergues, owner and CEO of Sole Technology, won’t hesitate in his response to that question.
“One thing I’ve noticed over the years is how much better I felt when I was skating in an area where the air was pure, so it was the initiative of my company to do something about it here at our headquarters,” Senizergues said Monday April 21, from his bright office, which boasts floor to ceiling windows, recycled wooden particle board walls and recycled limestone flooring. “It’s surprising to me as a skateboarder that not more companies are doing this.”
Sole Technology officially unveiled its first-ever Ecological Footprint Audit - a program designed to monitor the company’s amount of environmental waste and consumption. The company also introduced the first full-time Environmental Affairs Manager, Roain Atwood, and couldn’t have picked a better time to make the announcements, with Earth Day festivities in full swing.
“It’s not just the product itself, it’s the whole process, A to Z,” Senizergues said of his company’s newest facility, which was built in 2003 with the environment in mind. The bathrooms are all equipped with advanced technology that allows for waterless urinals, while each toilet has a dual-flush feature that the company hopes will help conserve water by 40 percent.
Even more impressive are the 616 solar panels Sole Tech has on its roof, which generate energy for the building and the company’s two additional facilities across the street. Although using solar energy was an investment - $1.4 million - it will eventually pay for itself, according to Senizergues. The company received a 50 percent rebate from the government for taking the eco-friendly route and oil budgets will be reduced significantly.
But when it comes right down to the numbers, the company’s audit showed an overwhelming culprit for its carbon emissions: footwear production.
“We really did want to take responsibility for the manufacturing end of things,” Atwood said. “We were concerned with the quality of the energy being used at our plants in China; if we were using coal fire-powered energy versus natural fire gas, then that is less efficient. Ultimately, as a whole, we want to integrate as many sustainable compounds into the process without compromising the product and still keeping the price reasonable for consumers.”
Several strategies the company will implement include updating outdated power mains at its facilities, which will help conserve up to 20 percent of energy used, as well as reducing the amount of wood pulp used for shoe boxes by 30-35 percent and reusing boxes when possible, according to Atwood and Senizergues.
Shoes now have recycled rubber soles and recycled plastic shoelaces, and boxes will list products’ “transparency facts,” or carbon footprint.
“It’s always been the goal of Etnies and Sole Tech to make shoes that last,” Senizergues said. “Consumption is a big problem. When you make something that lasts longer you don’t need to replace it as much.”
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April 21st, 2008 at 8:25 pm
promote global hoaxing
April 25th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Nice one Bob. But seriously, a lot of companies do use “green initiatives” as a marketing ploy. A lot of others are simply misled into doing things that everyone says will help the environment but in reality don’t. One of the biggest dangers the environment faces, ironically, is environmentalists who care more about intentions and feeling good about themselves than really making a difference. This creates superficial movements in the name of benefiting the environment that in some cases have actually damaged the environment greatly, and yet people will say “Well, I meant well” much the way a drunk drive could say “I didn’t mean to kill anyone when I got drunk.”
For example–biofuels. Everyone thought they were great a year ago because it was going to prevent global warming. Now we’re seeing that; 1) biofuels aren’t as efficient as gasoline, 2) the amount of energy used and pollution caused by production of biofuels may actually be greater than that caused by gasoline, and 3) production of biofuels has raised food prices around the world, causing food riots, starvation, and deforestation as farmers cut down rainforest in order to grow biofuel crops.
Solar panels, incandescent lighting, hybrid cars, etc. all have their faults as well and the jury is still out as to whether these products actually reduce a carbon footprint, after you consider what goes into the manufacturing of such things.
Don’t get me wrong, I think it’d be great if we all drove electric cars that were powered by solar energy. Good heavens, that’d be awesome. But let’s not get sidetracked along the way into supporting everyone who comes along and says “This is going to save the environment!” because some of the worst environmental disasters in the last 100 years have been caused by people who were out to save the environment. Do your research and think about the potential long term consequences. If you’re just using solar for no other reason than because it gives you bragging rights, makes you feel good, and you get a tax subsidy, then you’re no better than the guy who doesn’t care about the environment at all.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Sublimited - I agree. thx