Would You Buy $18,000 Eco-Friendly Flip-Flops?

by Jennifer Mishler August 15, 2011
Categories: Causes, Environment, Fashion, Lifestyle.
Photo: Chipkos

If you would buy these flip flops, it’s safe to say you should leave them home when you go to the beach.

Eco-friendly shoe company Chipkos and artist David Palmer have created what they are calling the “David Palmer Chipkos – World’s Most Expensive Flip Flops.” The sandals are part of Chipkos’ larger campaign, Stand for Square Feet, inspired by “the Chipko Movement, a historical event which helped bring awareness to the importance of environmental preservation in India and beyond” and the ongoing destruction of rainforests throughout the world.

According to the Huffington Post, for your $18,000, along with the painted sandals, you get a pledge from Chipkos to adopt 100,000 square feet of Costa Rican rainforest. “The hefty price tag also comes with an introduction to Palmer, a stay at the LEED-certified Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills and a one-of-a-kind piece of Palmer’s artwork.”

Chipkos lists comments from various sources on their page for the sandals. ”This piece represents a unique opportunity for a philanthropist to support a major initiative to conserve endangered rain forest land in Costa Rica,” says Norm Gershenz, Executive Director of SaveNature.Org, and from the Wall Street Journal, “World’s most expensive flip flop helps to save rain forest… Even though the price is shocking there is a valid explanation.”

But what do you think – Would you pay $18,000 for these sandals? Maybe you think there’s more you can do for the rainforest and other causes with that money?

About Jennifer Mishler

Jennifer is an animal advocate and activist. She is a volunteer coordinator with The Girls Gone Green, a nonprofit organization advocating for animals rights, veganism, and environmentalism. She is also an Onshore Volunteer with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and a volunteer with CJ Acres Animal Rescue Farm, a nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates farm animals. Along with writing for Ecorazzi, she writes about veganism and animal rights on her blog, A Dog's Eye View. She lives in Jacksonville, FL with her husband and their three animal friends. Follow Jennifer on Twitter: @jennygonevegan

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I’m not very materialistic or consumer oriented. It does seem like a worthwhile purchase for someone who has money to spare. Whether the person who purchases this is a golden hearted philanthropist or someone who wants to show off their big spending to their friends, good is done either way. What a nice effort for the artist to try to give back.
Joy

If I had the $$, I’d do it privately, rather than promote a flip-flop company.