Wyclef Jean, the socially-active solo artist and former member of The Fugees, falls pretty far from any music video stereotypes in his real life. He’s frequently performing at benefit concerts, started his own nonprofit foundation (Yéle Haiti), is a Haitian Goodwill Ambassador, and has now joined the ranks of the Timberland Earthkeeper Heroes, a group of eco-focused individuals that Timberland has assembled to promote going green.

Timberland, like Wyclef Jean, has switched things up from their reputation (as a construction-site staple) to become one of the greenest shoe companies around, and it’s rare that a month goes by without the shoe company making an appearance on the Greenzer blog, whether it’s for a new LEED-certified store or a new addition to their seriously eco-focused Earthkeeper shoe line. By joining together with Wyclef Jean, Timberland is hoping to aid in his environmental and humanitarian efforts in his native Haiti and give Timberland-wearers a chance to do the same. Click here to read more

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Send your daughter back to school in eco-friendly style this year with a pair of green shoes. Earlier this week you saw the best eco-friendly shoes for boys and now from sweet Mary Janes to canvas sneakers, we’ve found the best eco-friendly girls shoes for back to school. Make sure your kid knows the difference by explaining what makes her kicks better for the earth before she laces up.

Sugar Kids Chakra Mary Janes: Basic black and white will look just as adorable with jeans at school as it will with a dress on Sunday. This pair gets an eco-friendly pat on the back for being made of natural materials, including a jute-wrapped midsole.

Simple Kids Skippies: Simple Shoes tagline is “Shoes for a happy planet,” and this pair has several features that back it up: the outsoles used to be car tires, the laces used to be plastic bottles and the upper and linings are made from 100% certified organic cotton.  Eco accolades aside, these striped Skippies are so fun that you can believe they’re “shoes for a happy kid,” too.

Camper Kids Mary Jane: These offbeat Mary Janes with are half canvas sneaker, too, but this style is created from organic cotton to give it an eco-friendly twist. Let your spunky toddler or preschooler rock red kicks and she’ll be ready to skip to school every day. Click here to read more

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All too soon your kids are going to have to trade in their airy sandals for school-worthy sneakers. When you go back-to-school shopping this year, use it as a teachable moment. Explain how they can make their carbon footprint smaller by choosing eco-friendly shoes. Here, our five favorite eco-friendly shoes for boys.

Ricosta Kids Paco: Let boys be boys in these daring skeleton-clad sneakers. The deep red and black colors are created without hazardous dyes and are almost entirely chemical-free. Factories are powered by renewable energy and the shoes can be recycled.

Simple Kids Kid’s Innertube: Plaid is all the rage for fall and this brings the adult trend down to size for kids. Simple Shoes is an eco-conscious brand. This pair is mostly made from certified organic cotton and is vegan-friendly as it’s free of all animal products. The rubbery spots like around hte heel are made from tire inner tubes (hence the name) and the special insole and outsole are both made from recycled car tires.

The North Face Kids Mountain Sneaker: This casual sneaker is perfect for boys who run from school to digging in the dirt or playing hide and sneak in the nearby forest. The lining is made of sustainable bamboo, the mid-sole is made in part of cork, another sustainable material, the outsole is made of 40% recycled rubber and even accents are made from recycled plastic bottles. Click here to read more

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A lot of great eco brands make great eco shoes, but great fitness shoe brands are taking longer to catch on. For those who are fitness enthusiasts first and moving toward a more sustainable lifestyle second, the expectations for performance are higher. New Balance is answering the call with their first green shoe the New Balance 070.

The trail runner  boasts New Balance’s comfort and fit, but is made from recycled materials in a reduced waste design, meaning that as much of the original cutting material as possible is used because the elements are cut out in more of a puzzle shape. In this style, 75 percent of the upper elements are environmentally preferred materials like natural and recycled fabrics. The outsole is made of rick husk rubber and the insert is made of recycled materials. Another big eco issue with shoes is the glue used to keep it all together–here, New Balance uses water-based adhesives. Click here to read more

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Keds and Loomstate have come together to bring you some great new kicks in fun new patterns. If you’re a fan of Loomstate designers Rogan Gregory and Scott Hahn you may recognize some of their signature prints.  In true 80s style, the shoes are lace-free and come in five different women’s designs with lots of colors to choose from.

The shoes are made from 100 percent organic canvas, 100 percent recycled insole board, with a gum rubber sole. But the designers didn’t stop there with their eco-friendly efforts, the packaging is minimal, too. While most  new shoes are stuffed with and surrounded by tissue, these Keds are tissue free and come in reused, recycled shoe boxes. Click here to read more

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