Teko Socks has created this blog to highlight some of the great ideas they receive from customers every day. Since these ideas are great and don't do much good sitting in our inboxes, we figured that sharing them with you is the best idea. As a token of our appreciation, everyone who is posted on this site recieves a free pair of Teko socks! Enjoy the blog and check out www.tekosocks.com

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Did I hear someone say free socks?


Yes, you read correctly. We want to know what you do to make our planet a better place. Even the small things such as unplugging unused appliances make a huge difference. Each week we will highlight the best idea we receive in this blog and send the winner a free pair of socks! Submissions can be made to our our contact page and should include your name and a mailing address. We look forward to hearing about all the great things you are doing!

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Becky Hammond from Boulder, CO writes

Ideas to help the environment: Just replaced my Rav4 with a Prius;
we have a mantra at our house "try to use all things two times" so when we
wash lettuce we save the water for the shrubs, whenever we need to wash
anything off with a hose we do it over the driest part of the yard; all wood
or stone from landscape projects become new projects -- break up small
pieces of flagstone and use them to help the flower pots drain; use pieces
of 4x4 to raise up the pots on the deck; make a potting bench out of a
mixture of all the left over wood and don't worry that they don't match.

Friday, May 25, 2007

South American Trekkers sponsored by Teko Socks


How could we say no to a couple going to South America to hike close to 10,000 miles. Now that is an undertaking! Not only do Gregg and Deia send back great pictures to us, but they have been very valuable field testers as well.


Take a look at their photos by clicking on this link

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Teko Sponsored Adventure Race Team

Teko is the proud socks sponsor of the DART adventure racing team. Check out there website for more info: http://www.dirtworld.com/RACES/TEAM/dart/sponsors.asp

Teko Sponsored Athlete- Pete Tekada


Teko sponsors world-class climber Pete Tekada and his crew as they climb uncharted routes around the world. Follow Pete as he prepared for his next climb in Pakistan.


Junto Ventures take sustainability on the road


How often have we noticed that when we travel we suddenly end up consuming more fast food or junk food from fast food restaurants and convenience stores or notice backpackers who seem to be eco-conscious, but they end up purchasing gear that is not eco-friendly, and continue to drive 4x4 SUVs on their journeys?It is relatively easy integrating sustainable techniques in an established home setting, but we have observed that once a living situation has become mobile, the eco-friendliness seems to come to a halt.


Read more about the adventures at : http://juntoventure.org/nasjourney.php

Ground Truth Treking


Join Erin and Bretwood as they trek from Seattle to the Aleutian Islands, by human power(wearing Teko Socks) : Journey on the Wild Coast will be an unprecedented four-thousand-mile expedition along the northern edge of the Pacific Ocean, through some of the most rugged terrain in the world. No road or trail follows this steep and fragmented coastline. We'll be traveling through forests, between islands, around glaciers, and across the tundra - by foot, packraft, and skis. No one has done this before.


Check out their website here: http://www.groundtruthtrekking.org/


Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Joel Webber from Foot Loose and Fancy in Lincoln, NE writes

We are quite pleased to have Teko socks at both of our store locations here in town. We love the fact that Teko places so much emphasis on sustainability and environmentally responsible conduct without sacrificing in terms of product quality or customer service. Hopefully, more and more companies will follow suit in reducing their harmful impacts on the world around them.
Our company began as a Birkenstock specialty store thirty-two years ago. Our home store is now the third oldest store in the country and our second location is going on three years strong as a provider of quality footwear and services in Lincoln, NE. Both of our brick-and-mortar locations operate in coordination with virtual store-fronts, which means we deal with a lot of shipping, both sending and receiving. Subsequently, we also deal with a large volume of shipping materials, such as; dozens of large cardboards boxes, packing tape and materials, labels, paperwork...you get the idea.
We do our very best to recycle and reuse these materials on a daily basis. We take large volumes of recyclable cardboard to the appropriate dumpster on a weekly basis. We re-use boxes for shipping to our customers, often shipping one brand of shoes in another brand's packaging. When it is time for a given box to be retired, he is taken to be recycled with the other items. Packing materials are stockpiled and reused as often as possible; otherwise, they are also taken to the recycling bin. Quite frequently we will recycle shoe boxes for our customers should they decide to wear a given shoe out of the store.
In addition to recycling, many of our employees are make attempts to use alternate modes of transportation. Whether it is an 8-10 block walk to the downtown store, or a six-mile bike ride to the south location, we try to encourage one another to be healthier and more efficient as often as possible. Thanks for everything!!
Sincerely,
Joel Webber

Raymond McConnell from Northern VA writes

I am a co-manager on a 450 acre farm in northern Virginia. We are
currently working towards making the farm a certified organic enterprise.
We use bio-diesel to power all of our vehicles, tractors, and other
equipment. All of our electric power, which covers our housing, barns,
dairy, and electric fences, is supplied through solar energy. Our natural
water sources are protected under conservation grants. The entire facility
recycles all of its trash. Overall, we work hard to protect the
environment, while using the environment to produce farm raised eggs, milk,
meat, wool, vegetables, and honey which we sell at local farmers markets.

Andrew Duncan from Worcester, MA writes

Instead of using gas guzzling cars and trucks, I choose to run. Not only does running save money (and the environment) but it will make you healthier too. I love wearing my Teko socks as I run around town!

Josh Garbarino from Philadelphia, PA writes


I Rescue Siberian Huskies and strive to make them the most eco-dogs
possible by:

--feeding them organic food

--giving them beds filled with recycled fleece

--using corn starch poop-bags

--taking them on hikes in the Adirondacks to pick up trash!