Earth Day: Green Silence
“Going green” is, in large part, about both producers AND consumers making responsible decisions that lead having a lesser impact on the earth and its resources.
Last year, Brooks, the running shoe and apparel company, introduced the “Green Silence”. Their goal with the Green Silence was to produce a high performance running shoe that was earth-friendly. Over the last month, I’ve been logging both miles on the roads and days at office in the Green Silence and I’m loving the Green Silence for both how it feels and what it represents.
First, and most importantly in my opinion, a shoe has very little use if it’s not comfortable. The Green Silence provides out of the box comfort like no other shoe I’ve ever tried on. While, shading towards a more minimal, less constructed shoe, the Green Silence still feels built enough that you don’t feel like you’re in a racing flat or part of the barefoot crowd. While the Green Silence is unquestionably a running shoe, between the remarkable comfort and the “less is more” construction, I’m enjoying the shoe equally as an everyday shoe as I have out on runs.
But the big story with the shoe is what makes the Green Silence “green”. Brooks has ambitiously made the Green Silence completely from eco-friendly and sustainable components. First off the shoe’s midsole, insoles and foam parts are all biodegradable. So when the Green Silence come to the end of the road in a land fill, it will decompose within 20 years into organic material (vs. 1000 years for similar shoe parts made from petroleum-based materials).
Overall, the Green Silence is made from 75% post-consumer recycled materials. Other shoe components such as the laces are made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials. The shoe is constructed using water-based (vs. petroleum based) adhesives and all of the plentiful, coloring on the shoes is from non-toxic dyes. Even the shoe’s box and packaging is 100% post-consumer recycled. This is one “green” shoe!
As for performance, the miles I’ve logged in the Green Silence have been smooth and very comfortable. But legendary ultra-runner Scott Jurek may be a better judge of the Green Silence’s abilities. One day last May, Scott put on the Green Silence and went for a run and 24 hours later, he stopped . That day in the IAU World 24 Hour Championships, Scott’s Green Silence journey was a 165.7 mile non-stop ride. Scott’s effort is mind blowing, and having the Green Silence as his ride of choice is a strong testament to the shoe’s performance.
So whether you slip on the Green Silence as a super comfy everyday shoe or if you go Green Silence as your running shoe, it’s great to know that you’ve made decision as a consumer that is resource and earth friendly.
Photo courtesy of: City Sports Blog
Disclosure: Brooks supplied a pair of the Green Silence for review.
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