Nike expanded its line of products made with less waste and fewer toxics yesterday, announcing a goal to have all footwear meeting the line's more stringent environmental standards by 2011. As Portland Business Journalreports, the athletic company aims to have apparel making the switch by 2015, and equipment by 2020. By Nike's calculations, that would mean 17 percent less waste and 20 percent more reliance on what it deems environmentally-preferred materials. That might sound vague, and Nike doesn't reveal the nitty gritty of its environmental impact assessments, but it does disclose a basic scoring system based on health risks, energy and water use, and waste associated with the production, use, and disposal. Eventually, the company's big idea is to have a closed-loop system in which your stinky old sneaks, for example, could be easily disassembled and transformed into a fresh new product.
