Filling an educational gap – delivering expert knowledge on gender equality, diversity and inclusion in forestry to all

KEEN, Inc., the footwear brand on a mission to make outside inclusive and accessible to all, today announced that Good Housekeeping awarded the brand the Good Housekeeping 2021 Sustainability Innovation Award for its Detox the Planet initiative that keeps perfluorochemicals (PFCs) and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) out of its footwear. PFCs/PFAS, a class of about 5,000 fluorinated chemicals also referred to as “forever chemicals” are often used in water repellent finishes in every-day products. These toxic chemicals enter the environment where the chemicals, components and finished products are manufactured, through contaminated water or waste, and spread easily, posing health risks to humans and animals.

Eating a plant-based diet is not just good for our health; it is good for Earth’s health.  In fact, “Shifting away from animal-based foods [could not only] add up to 49% to the global food supply without expanding croplands;” but would also significantly reduce carbon emissions and waste byproducts that end up in our oceans and as seafood byproducts.  If each and every person in the United States gave up meat and dairy products on one or more days of the week; ideally, all days of the week, we would save the environment from thousands of tons of carbon emissions.  In fact, in one year, animal husbandry creates as much carbon emissions as the entire transportation sector.