The Clean Boot Blog

Earth Day is now an international event and more than 1 billion people in different countries participate in what has become the biggest civic-centered day in the world. The theme for this year’s Earth Day was ‘Save our Species’ with its main focus on how we as human beings can play our role in reducing plastic waste to save our environment and marine life.

There is no denying the fact that plastic is convenient and is important for many valuable uses, but its impact on our environment is beyond our imagination. Did you know roughly 1 million plastic disposable bottles are bought every minute? Sadly, most of the plastic produced is formed to serve single-use purpose only.

Noticeably, a website named R4 Marketing projected the same situation in 2017. According to them, Humans utilize over 190 billion liters of disposable water bottles each year and more than 85% of these bottles land in the garbage instead of recycling. This gives rise to the landfill crisis. However, one significant thing is that it takes around 110 million barrels of oil to manufacture those bottles. Instead of purchasing bottled water, look for filters or reusable options. This will not only reduce plastic waste the impact of which is devastating for our environment, but filtered water is comparatively cleaner and healthier. You can even put your company logo on a reusable bottle if you’re, say, giving them to your clients as a giveaway. This will portray a responsible and eco-friendly image of your company and also show how deeply you care about the environment.

Plastic pollution is now so pervasive in the natural environment that researchers have even proposed it could act as a geological indicator of the Anthropocene age.

To recall, back in the 70’s, only a limited quantity of plastic was formed. That was the time when managing plastic was not at all a big deal. By the 1990s, the plastic production had tripled to 3 times more than was produced in 20 years. By the end of the 2000s, plastic pollution will be extended to massive levels if something isn’t done. Today, more than 300 tons of plastic daily contribute to our Oceans, Rivers, and Lakes.

(IMAGE COURTESY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC)

2019 was a great year in terms of plastic pollution solutions. For instance, many big brands have literally omitted plastic out of their products/manufacturing/services including H&M, L’Oreal and Coca-Cola. Also, more and more consumer companies are investing in waste collection projects including Proctor and Gamble, Unilever and PepsiCo.

Last but not least, famous restaurants and brands such as McDonalds, Starbucks, and Bacardi Rum have also announced to ditch plastic in the coming years.

What to Expect in 2020?

Current research suggests that plastic waste in oceans will increase 10 fold by the end of 2020. This is definitely an alarming situation as the world’s oceans are already over flowing with plastic waste. Also, it is expected that the rate of plastic waste will double by 2030. This year’s Earth Day gives all of us a great opportunity to make some positive lifestyle changes. One of the ways you can do this is by becoming very particular about your purchases.  Products that are not eco-friendly or things that have a massive carbon footprint in our environment should be avoided at all cost.

What Could Be Done?

Although progress in curtailing plastic waste is more predominant in the current year, there still are many disposable products that are creating global landfill issues – disposable plastic shoe covers being one of them. Luckily, this issue can be easily resolved with reusable shoe covers that are more economical and eco-friendly than any other commercially available alternatives.

It has never been more convenient or more elegant to be ‘eco-friendly’ than it is right now. Gen Z is more environmentally friendly and informed than ever before. From the electronic home appliances we use to the shoes we wear, people are more willing to do something to reduce their impact on the planet.

Did you know over 300 million pairs of shoes are disposed of by Americans each year? Obviously, these shoes end up in landfills where they can take up to 40 to 50 years to breakdown.

Although, the role of the footwear industry has not been tremendous especially when it comes to sustainability, a number of innovative approaches are cropping up to mitigate the impact of a carbon footprint. Also, users are starting to clamor for environment-friendly booties that are reusable and provide healthy working conditions for those currently working in the industry.

World’s Major Producers of Disposable Boots: 3M, BlueMed, and Kimberly Clark are the major producers of disposable booties. They contribute heavily to the environmental waste. Although, both disposable booties and reusable boot covers seamlessly slip over your existing boots, the latter is considered to be more eco-friendly and practical.

Disposable boot covers contribute greatly to the environmental impact of the footwear industry. As per recent statistics, around 38% of students studying in Ontario send their shoes to landfills, while 42% give them away as a donation. Shoes thrown away by the 38% of students end up in landfills and can harm the soil in over the course of time. This type of waste can also contribute to contaminating the local water table. This process has a massive impact on the environment through the processes of bio magnification and bio accumulation. This can result in poisoned water supplies for both humans and animals.

Also, plastic waste is destroying the world’s coral reefs. A research conducted by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis reveals that nearly 12.7 million metric tons of plastic get thrown into oceans every year. The amount of plastic pollution affecting marine life is expected to double by the Year 2025.

These shoe cover manufacturing companies being the pioneers of the disposable boot covers contribute to hundreds of thousands, even millions of pairs going into landfill sites every year. Ideally, these manufacturing giants should also play their role and introduce products that are more environment-friendly and sustainable.

Sadly, plastic pollution is not only harming marine life, but the harmful chemicals present in plastic can impact air and food as well. Even if you’re planning to switch to the biodegradable options, they’re still 20% more polluting than the reusable products.

At this stage, you must have a clear understanding of the detrimental effects of plastic and it’s counterparts on our environment. The best way to avoid the waste of disposable goods is to replace them with high-quality reusable products.

Why Investing in Reusable Boot Covers is a Better Decision?

Although ‘disposable’ sounds easier and more convenient at first, the fact is, they’re more costly, less eco-friendly and even take up more space than reusable alternatives.

Reusable boot covers, on the other hand, are more user-friendly, affordable and you can use one pair repeatedly.

The ‘Go Green’ campaign has literally taken all of us by storm. As mentioned earlier, customers these days are well-informed and they pay attention to each and every minuscule detail before acquiring services of any service provider; be it a plumbing company, a painter or a general contractor.

By using reusable and eco-friendly products, you can represent yourself as a responsible organization or individual who not only cares about his/her client’s property, but also takes the impact of plastic pollution seriously.

About The Original CleanBoot

Made from high-quality neoprene, The Original CleanBoot boot covers are a great product that can be used over and over without contributing to the overflowing landfills. By investing in The Original CleanBoot, you not only save your client’s flooring from scratches, dirt and debris, but they also save the environment from the rapidly increasing plastic pollution.

In conclusion, only you understand your job requirements, your clients and your worksite. By learning which shoe covers best fit your industry, you can select the right product that can save you time and money. We hope you will choose The Original CleanBoot as the premium alternative to disposable plastic booties.