Eco-Friendly Performance Shoe Comparison

By Michael Edwards

   I’ve always had limited choices when it comes to shoes. As a tree hugger I have always wanted to own a green pair of shoes, but I wear a size 12 EEEE. If you’re not familiar with wide sizes, that’s a very wide shoe. I’ve been pretty much stuck with New Balance, all the while wishing I could fit into a pair of vegan, non-toxic, eco-friendly shoes. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard of the New Balance 070s, designed with recycled materials and water-based adhesives.
   I’m a trail runner. I’m also a bicyclist, and I love running long distances, hiking, and rollerblading. And last but not least, I am an eco-conscious, earth-friendly, animal-loving tree hugger. If wide shoes were coming to the earth-friendly market, I assumed this could be the beginning of shoes for every sport being designed to accommodate the wider foot. New Balance will lead the way!
   Not so fast.
   The New Balance eco-friendly line of shoes, does not, at this time, come in wide sizes.
   You can imagine my disappointment; I was not to try these shoes for our green shoe comparison. My dreams were crushed and stepped on by a size D shoe.