Ideal Bite

Six years ago, a crazy person (my friend Scott) convinced me to run the NYC Marathon. The best parts: The NYC crowds; seeing my mom after the 59th Street Bridge (aww); and my college buds running the last mile with me. The worst parts: my now crappy knees; watching a 75-year-old man run past me; and my deteriorated running shoes.

I was in a panic over finding a shoe that wouldn't tear off my toenails, but never considered its impact on the earth - until I read Cradle to Cradle, which goes into the poor design of most shoes (combining organic materials like leather with non-eco ones like rubber, vinyl, and adhesives - making it difficult to fully recycle). Since then, I've found some orgs helping to keep millions of pairs of shoes outta landfills. Check 'em out:

• Reuse-a-shoe turns your old sneaks into basketball courts, tracks, and playgrounds.

• RecycledRunners.com has a list of shoe donation programs across the United States (benefiting the homeless in your area).
  

• PlanetAid.org will send them to developing countries, with drop-off containers in major cities.

-Senior Editor Theresa...off to wash the grime off my old pair so I doesn't have to buy new...

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