Environmentally friendly slippers for the family.A joke or making a difference.

[shelly43]

Its so important for us to maintain a green and convivial home environment.In order to achieve this i dont allow shoes to worn in our house. Unless there is a medical or disabilty related reason everyone takes their shoes off at the door.But i saw some research that concluded that the most effective way of limiting outdoor shoes and dirt related germs etc was for everyone to wear slippers in the house.I have never allowed shoes in my house. But i thought it would be really good for us if i got us all environmentally slippers for all of us.
I try and only wear green, environmentally slippers made from natural products.I have found that alpaca slippers are not only totally green etc but absultely awesome to wear with barefeet. They are furry and so soft and all my girls wear them.My family absolutely love wearing these slippers and the girls friends are so envious of them. There are many different styles and if you just google, alpaca slippers an online retailer should be available.
There is a growing movement towards clean healthy living.And these slippers are usually made and sold by independant socially responsible companies and workers co operative.
I guarantee that once you put these slippers on you will never want to take them off.Many of our friends have bought them now for their familes.
On a ligher note i really have to put my foot down(no pun inteneded) with the girls because they want to take them to school with them and wear them. I think that going a liitle too far.
What do you all think about this? Am i being a little pedantic or can this sort thing really make a difference. Is the green thing getting carried away.
I really think that its the little, subtle unseen changes we all make in our lives that will ultimately matter that essential difference.

[cee3]

Wow! They certainly are furry! I love those!

I have no idea whether something like this would make any sort of difference to your family's health or the overall wellbeing of our environment. It does seem like it would be easier, more cost-effective, and less wasteful to just wear socks that you already have. I'm very wary about allowing environmental enthusiasm and good intentions become another exercise in consumerism, especially now that there are so many products marketed to people who are trying to be greener.

[PenelopeJune]

If I normally wore slippers, and needed some, then yes. But I usually just wear socks in the house, or go barefoot in the summer. But for a slipper-aholic, I think they would be great.

[barose]

I wear my indoor only flip-flops. We have hardwood floors and would break my neck down the stairs (no carpet) if I wore socks.

When it’s cold, I wear socks with the flip-flops.

[melamama]

I don't think it's a joke, we not only have a "no shoes in the house" policy to limit bringing in contaminants, but simply it just keeps a cleaner house.

At my dc's schools they also have a no shoes policy in the classrooms, so they both have school slippers as well as home slippers.

I love Padraig

I agree that times are starting to change---I'm noticing more and more shoe free houses.

[Malva]

You're expected to remove your shoes when you enter a house here. Keeping shoes on, unless you're specifically asked to do so, is really rude.

We keep slippers for guests (and wear them ourselves) because the floor is cold.

Editted to add: I think wearing slippers is a very environmentally friendly thing to do because without slippers, we couldn't possibly keep the house at 15C (59F) all winter.

[AddysMom]

We have a no shoe rule in our house also. We just wear no shoes or socks though. If we wanted slippers I would pick green ones of course. But I do agree that somethings seem to be geared towards people wanting to be green. Often it seems people buy stuff they dont even need because its green. Where they would be more green by buying only items that they need green. So if you are going to buy slippers anyway yes its worth it. But if you never wore slippers and wouldnt of bought them it would be silly to just buy them because they are green...kwim?

[counterGOPI]

we are a no shoe home we wear slippers, not green ones though although dh is giving me money to buy some organic ones from giama next week! :
i can't wear animal's skin personally it just freaks me out

[Ruthla]

Originally Posted by cee3

It does seem like it would be easier, more cost-effective, and less wasteful to just wear socks that you already have.

Not if it means that the socks wear out faster.

I'm very wary about allowing environmental enthusiasm and good intentions become another exercise in consumerism, especially now that there are so many products marketed to people who are trying to be greener.

Yup, it's all about balance.

Buying environmentally friendly slippers when you're already in the market for new slippers = good. Buying environmentally friendly slippers when you don't need slippers (you already have, nobody wears them, etc) is NOT good for the environment- it's just more stuff that will eventually go into a landfill.

I don't think you can "personally save the world" by buying alpalca slippers- nor am I saving the world with my canvass bags at the grocery store. But every little bit adds up.

[flapjack]

Yes, but alpaca doesn't have quite the same antibacterial qualities of wool : For the stinky-feet brigade, I'd go for the sheepy option.