Bring Out Your Dead!

Here's a commendable way for a company to take responsibility for the end-of-life options of the products it makes!
"At Foot Locker we're all about sneakers. As much as we love seeing a fresh new pair of kicks on someone's feet, we also want to make sure even old shoes get a second life too and in return, make the planet a little greener. From 18th March - 7th April 2012, we are launching a recycling initiative, you can drop your old, un-used, worn and pre-loved shoes at a Foot Locker store and in return, we will give you a £10 / €10 redeemable voucher to spend on a new pair of sneakers or any other purchase at Foot Locker."
Foot Locker UK is aiming to collect 20,000 pairs of old sneakers or trainers of any brand and in any condition. The shoes'll be sorted and graded by the company's garment recycling partner, for reuse or recycling.
Schemes like this are an important step (excuse the pun!) in the right direction. I do hope it's not just a cutesy brand-awareness scheme because it really does have long-term viability. Here in NZ, our regular e-waste collections recycle computers, and old mobile phones are collected as a fundraiser for Starship Children's Hospital. Noel Leeming even recycled a dead microwave of mine! So why not old clothing too?
Instead of companies disassociating themselves from their products once sold or outside the guarantee period, I'd love to see them get on board and make this the start of something bigger...and if they get some kudos while saving the planet, that seems a fair trade!

"The Shoe Fence" near Waihola, NZ / The Travel Tart