One of the biggest complaints about being sustainable is that it’s expensive.
It’s cheaper to buy a cases of plastic water bottles for $3, then to buy a reusable one for $30, and grabbing a free plastic straw is more reasonable than Paying $10 for a reusable one. But where do you cross the line of what is reasonable?
Allbirds is company that sells shoes. But these shoes are special because they’re made out of natural materials. The goal of the company is to be more sustainable. The shoe is made out of either wool or treefiber and the laces are created from recycled plastic bottles. Even the boxes that they come in are made out of recycled cardboard. The brand was even voted as “World’s Comfiest Shoe”. A shoe that keeps the environment in mind, that can be yours for… $95. And don’t bother looking for a discount code, they don’t exist.
Their pricing is not completely off compared to other shoe brands. But unlike Nike, Vans, or Adidas, Allbirds isn’t a common name or brand. So when consumers purchase these shoes they’re most likely buying them for what they stand for.
People have different opinions on where to draw the line with what is reasonable and what is not and this video gives great tips on how to save money while trying to be sustainable.
Businesses also struggle with the idea of sustainability being pricy. But businesses can actually save money while going green. The Morgantown Green Coalition was brought together in 2016. Joined with the Morgantown Green Team and Friends of Deckers Creek, their mission was to help local business become more sustainable, while saving money. 31 businesses ranging from bars to boutiques joined the coalition after filling out a survey that took businesses about an hour to complete. From there they learned tips and tricks from the local expedients on how to be sustainable and saving where they could.
Being reasonably sustainable is truly a person and businesses preference. As a community we find the balance to live a greener life.
Almost Heaven, Almost Green 
I know there are definitely alternatives for reusable things, though I understand why it gets harder to have cheaper shoes. Although a normal pair of shoes is usually about a hundred dollars for good quality so if I had to I would rather spend it on a better sourced one. I know I have plenty of water bottles that are reusable that are definitely under the 15$ price point and I know plenty of companies give out promotional water bottles for free if you catch the right fundraiser. While they may not be perfectly insulated or gorgeous, neither are disposable bottles. Also, you can always color them or slap on some stickers.
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The video you incorporated was really relevant and had a lot of good tips. She says at one point that there’s no income level that precludes you from refusing plastic straws, refusing plastic bags at the supermarket, or choosing unwrapped produce over wrapped produce. There are small changes we can all make that cost little to no money, so saying as a whole that “sustainability is expensive” isn’t really fair. With the example of the tennis shoes, you’re absolutely correct that big brands like Nike are charging that much and more for their products, but they can get away with it because of brand recognition. It really does come down to your values and whether you think sustainability or brand names are more important.
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I loved this post because I feel like I am amongst of the wave of people who are eco-conscious while remaining fiscally sound haha. I think people often ignore how easy it is to simply abstain from plastic straws or bottles rather than replacing them with pricey reusable ones. Just don’t use a straw y’all! Also the video reminded me of a youtuber I have seen before that has all of her waste from like 5 years inside a mason jar– she would be a super interesting reference to incorporate in next weeks post perhaps! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuABgFsv5pw
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Interesting post, great inclusion of videos and links. I feel like there are a lot of ways to be sustainable for cheap, but at the same time there are a lot of expensive eco-conscious things people do. I feel like thats the way it is with everything, the most important thing is just that people are aware i guess. Great job.
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Adidas is also coming out with a recycled shoe! It’s cool to think of how we can repurpose things that we wear which could completely eliminate fast fashion.
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