Hundreds of millions of tires are discarded worldwide every year. Many of these are recycled or reused in one way or another, but some areas have more resources available to do this. In the United States, up to about 80 percent of discarded tires are used for other purposes. A company in Kenya makes fashionable sandals from recycled tires.
Some of the uses of recycled tires include grinding them up to mix with asphalt for roads and athletic tracks. They can be recycled and used for truck bed liners, flooring, tiles and even curbs. The rubber from recycled tires is often used in civil engineering projects, parks and recreation areas. Millions of tires are used as fuel, and millions more are sent to other countries to be used as re-treads.
Because it only costs about half as much to produce some products using recycled rubber as it does to create new products out of 100{3ec13c407393c77d0b76ac354e5e8751bb426f2c8d05d24f69f7e9f5bf644d15} virgin rubber, it make sense for businesses to re-use the material, and that keeps the old tires out of landfills.
Maybe you have driven by a tire graveyard, where tens of thousands of tires await disposal. It s not only an eyesore but can create public health and safety hazards as well. Piles of discarded tires are a breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rodents, which carry a number of diseases, including encephalitis, dengue fever, and West Nile virus.
The risk of fire is a significant problem with used tires. The fires can smolder for weeks – even months, and the fumes are full of extremely toxic pollutants. The drifting smoke can travel for miles and create serious respiratory problems for people in the path of the smoke and even miles away. Water that may run off from the fires is also loaded with toxins, which can contaminate neighboring water supplies.
In impoverished countries like Kenya, it can present a real danger. Korogocho is already one of the most polluted cities on earth.
Ecosandals are made in part from 100{3ec13c407393c77d0b76ac354e5e8751bb426f2c8d05d24f69f7e9f5bf644d15} recycled tire tread rubber scavenged from Korogocho, a shantytown with a population of over 300,000, and surrounding areas of Nairobi, Kenya. The sandals are enhanced with local leathers or denim, beadwork and artistic detail to create stylish and comfortable sandals.
The offering of steady employment and a decent source of income to young adults living in this area empowers them to accumulate savings and invest it in their families and their futures. You will walk with pride, knowing that your sandals are supporting the empowerment of youth in Kenya.
Visit The HUB Global Marketplace to find Fair Trade Ecosandals from Kenya and other hard-to-find items that support Fair Trade from all over the world. Items can be shipped to your door – or sent as gifts. The Global Marketplace is the portal for shopping in a “cause driven economy.” You select who, where, how, and how much impact you want to make in the world by the products you select to purchase. The way in which each of us chooses to spend our money is a powerful act.