The Atrium

In this era of green living there's a way to dispose of just about everything we no longer have any use for. You can even donate gently used shoes of any type or style to the Heart and Sole project at Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine. The program passes donated shoes along to those who needs them, or ensures that they are properly recycled. You can get detailed information at the web site here.

Other organizations that accept shoes for a good cause include Soles 4 Souls, which distributes shoes to people affected by natural disasters domestically and internationally. They've donated shoes to victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami, as well as homeless shelters, hospitals, and abuse shelters.

If you have any Crock clogs you'd like to get rid of, donate them to Soles United, who will recycle them into a new pair of shoes. Another company on the recycle bandwagon is Nike, which collects sneakers and recycles them into new basketball courts and other sports surfaces.