Founded in 1947 by J.I. Rodale, Rodale Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to helping the regenerative organic agriculture movement grow through research, education and farmer training.
In his study of regenerative organic farming, Rodale — who came up with the term “organic” — studied Indigenous agricultural practices, including those of communities like the long-lived Hunza Peoples of Northern Pakistan.
“A lot of people credit him really with being the preeminent thinker and leader in this modern day organic movement. J.I. Rodale coined the term ‘organic’ as it’s used today. He started a nonprofit in 1947 and ironically the original name for our organization was the Soil and Health Foundation, which I find to be so profound that this man had the vision to connect soil health with human health,” CEO of Rodale Institute Jeff Tkach told EcoWatch in an interview. “Fast forward to today — 77 years later — I think we all know that there is a fundamental disconnect in our society that human beings are divorced and disconnected from their food system, from nature. And I think it’s what’s leading to a chronic health epidemic. I think that we all are recognizing that our health begins in the soil, and how we farm matters. And so J.I. Rodale was way out in front, you know, doing that work.”
Before founding the institute, Rodale was an entrepreneur who started a company with his brother in New York City.
“He came from poverty, but one of the challenges in his life was his health. He came from a lineage where his father and his uncles didn’t live past the age of 57. And when he and his brother began to accumulate enough wealth, they decided to move their business out of New York City to rural Pennsylvania and he bought a farm,” Tkach told EcoWatch. “He had never farmed a day in his life. And he just had this sense that if he could control his food and where his food came from and how his food was produced that it would have an impact on his longevity. So he bought a 40-acre farm in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, outside of Allentown, and started talking to all the experts in farming.”
J.I. Rodale. Photo courtesy of the Rodale family
After starting his farm in Pennsylvania, Rodale became curious about how the chemicals that were being used in agriculture after World War II were impacting the food people were eating.
“The representatives at the land grant universities like Penn State and Rutgers and Cornell… were all telling him about this amazing innovation in farming called chemical agriculture, [but] no one could really sufficiently answer his question around how those chemicals could yield healthy food. So he started looking to Indigenous populations,” Tkach told EcoWatch. “He was very concerned around where agriculture was headed if we stopped considering the power of nature… I think that was really his concern, that we were going to lose sight of the miracle of nature to heal us, to feed us, to nourish us in the name of innovation.”
Rodale Institute offers science programs and direct farmer support to facilitate change in food production and farming globally.
“As the birthplace of the modern Organic movement, Rodale Institute is filling the massive void of American land-grant institutions by revolutionizing farming and aiming to fix what is broken in our food system,” a press release from the institute said.
Rodale Institute co-founded the “regenerative organic” certification, which is the food industry’s highest standard. For 40 years, the institute’s farming educational and consulting programs — Farming Systems Trial — have been equipping thousands of farmers in the United States with the resources and knowledge they need to adopt regenerative organic agricultural practices.
U.S. consumer demand for certified organic products currently exceeds supply, which makes organic farming a potentially economically viable option for small and large farms.
Rodale Institute is planning to transition a million acres of farmland to regenerative organic agriculture in the next decade.
“We’ve just contracted with Organic Valley, and we’re working with a select number of their farmers to help them adopt organic practices and to do it more effectively, as well as to be able to help connect those farmers with more lucrative markets, so that they have a place to sell their crops at the highest value,” Tkach told EcoWatch.
Tkach said one of the roles Rodale Institute plays is assisting farmers with the barriers they face when transitioning to organic.
“‘Where am I going to sell my crop? How am I going to effectively embrace organic practices? How am I going to overcome pressures like weeds and pests?’ All these things that you and I don’t think about, but that farmers face every day,” Tkach said. “So Rodale is stepping in to help farmers. And in a lot of ways we’re acting as a land grant on a national scale for farmers, because our land grant system does not currently serve organic farmers. So the same challenge that J.I. Rodale faced 77 years ago, many of America’s farmers still face today.”
Rodale Institute’s philosophy is to always keep moving things forward through research and innovation.
“We pride ourselves in being an innovative organization, and even though we’re 77 years old, it feels like we’re a 77 year old startup right now because the world has finally embraced what Rodale has been espousing for a very long time,” Tkach told EcoWatch. “We see agriculture as a continuum, and we’re trying to help move farmers from conventional chemical farming down a path towards embracing better and better, healthier agricultural practices.”
Tkach said Rodale Institute helps farmers make the transition “by doing long-term science.”
“So I’m sitting today in my office, but my office is on a 400-acre farm. And when I walk out of my office, there’s research happening all over our farm,” Tkach said. “One study in particular is a 44-year study that is the longest running trial of its kind in the world, where we’re studying organic and conventional grain cropping systems, and we’re able to look at how these two ways of farming are very different and what their long-term implications are… I think the science is what sets us apart, because there’s really no other entity in North America that’s doing long-term research on organic agriculture.”
Tkach said the researchers are able to demonstrate that organic farming is not only “more ecologically sound” and better for the environment, but more profitable as well.
The Rodale Institute’s research team studies various weed management practices in their fields and in partnership with farmers. Photo courtesy of Rodale Institute
“If you want to heal the rural and the urban divide and begin investing in rural economies, our farmers are struggling in this country, they need to improve their bottom line. And organic agriculture is driving between three and six times more profits for farmers,” Tkach told EcoWatch. “Our science has proven that.”
Tkach said regenerative organic farming is not just for smaller family-owned farms, as larger farms are embracing the practices as well.
“Rodale has proven that organic regenerative organic agriculture can be scaled… Today, our national network of consultants that are Rodale employees have been called upon by some of the biggest food companies in the world,” Tkach said. “One example is General Mills. General Mills has recently hired Rodale Institute as a nonprofit to go out and work with 70 farmers in the upper Midwest that are producing oats and wheat — two of the biggest ingredients that General Mills grows.”
Tkach said the country’s need for certified organic products is outpacing its supply.
“So right now there is a greater demand for certified organic products in the United States than we can supply domestically. The U.S. is a net importer of organic food,” Tkach explained. “During this new administration I actually was in DC five weeks ago meeting with House and Senate leaders of the Ag Committee and, frankly, I received support from both sides of the aisle… So I always say that organic agriculture is for all of us. We all eat. We all want to live on a healthy planet. We all want to be healthy. And in order to do that, we need to come to grips that our current farming system is fundamentally broken. We have to transform agriculture in this country.”
“There’s something in organic that every one of us can be excited about. If you want to talk about onshoring our food system and creating a regional resilient food system, that’s what organic agriculture can do for us. If you want to talk about lowering our healthcare costs, well, it starts with what we’re eating. Food is medicine. And Rodale is saying that healthy food starts in healthy soil. And healthy soil is birthed on organic farms,” Tkach added.
Tkach said Rodale science has demonstrated that much of the world’s carbon emissions can be sequestered in the soil on organic farms.
“How we farm can actually become a carbon sink in agriculture,” Tkach said.
Rodale Institute was recently named one of the most innovative companies in the world for 2025 by the magazine Fast Company.
“I’ve actually been a reader of Fast Company for most of my adult life… It’s a magazine about innovation,” Tkach told EcoWatch. “My life was deeply touched by their content over the years… It was a huge honor… It’s kind of hilarious that a 77-year-old company is being named to that list, but it’s a testament to where we are in the world and how the innovation that we’ve been leading is finally getting recognized.”
Rodale is co-hosting the first Good Farmer Award in recognition and support of farmers who have been using organic practices for a decade or less.
“We are going to be co-hosting an award called the Good Farmer Award in partnership with our brand partner Davines… recognizing farmers that are at the early part of their journey and that are looking for some financial support,” Tkach told EcoWatch. “Some of the biggest barriers for young farmers is capital. Farming is a very capital-intensive business, and Rodale is going to be looking to honor and celebrate beginning farmers who are using organic and responsible practices, and we’re going to try to award them with some funding to help get them get their business off the ground. So we’re really excited about that.”
The first recipient of the award is Clarenda “Farmer Cee” Stanley.
“The award recognizes outstanding farmers making positive environmental and social contributions to agriculture through regenerative organic practices,” a press release from Rodale Institute and Davines Group said. “Clarenda Stanley, founder and CEO of Green Heffa Farms in North Carolina, stood out for her commitment to economic empowerment, education, equity, and ecological stewardship.”
I asked Tkach what individuals can do to support regenerative organic farming in the U.S.
“Right now, the word regenerative is being co-opted and greenwashed by the biggest food companies in the world. When we talk about regenerative farming in and of itself, that means everything and nothing,” Tkach told EcoWatch. “But Rodale helped to co-found the newest and highest bar certification in the food industry: regenorganic.org. That is what all consumers should be supporting. They should be looking for foods that have both the USDA organic and regenerative organic label on them, and supporting those farmers and those brands, because that’s the kind of food system we’re trying to usher in.”
“Robert Rodale, the founder of the Rodale Institute’s son, actually coined the term regenerative farming in the 1970s. And he believed that we regenerate when we begin to farm in a regenerative way. We start by healing the soil, but everything else in that system improves over time,” Tkach said. “And so we’re asking consumers to participate in a better food system.”
Tkach recommended that, in addition to supporting the certifications and brands, every consumer should “get to know a farmer.”
“We all should have a relationship with someone in our community that is growing healthy food and we should support them,” Tkach said. “If you’re even more courageous and adventurous, I always tell people they should try to plant something, you know, just grow one thing, whether it’s a potted plant on your windowsill or a raised bed garden… we all should become farmers and stewards of the earth.”
“The rhythm of nature changes you. It deepens your human experience, and it makes you a better human. And I think it starts with food,” he said.
Educational materials and resources on organic farming — including free webinars and courses — are available on Rodale Institute’s website.
“If we’re talking about a win that everyone can get behind, it’s organic farming. And it’s not a polarizing topic. It’s something that we can all agree on,” Tkach said.
The post ‘The Science Is What Sets Us Apart’: How the Rodale Institute Has Spent 77 Years Innovating Regenerative Organic Agriculture appeared first on EcoWatch.
https://www.ecowatch.com/rodale-institute-organic-agriculture-ecowatch.html
This week’s quote is a Somali proverb: “Be a mountain or lean on one.”
Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click to get a larger image.
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Ballet flats have long been a staple in my wardrobe, but in the past few years have experienced a significant resurgence — and for good reason. The right pair can be practical, versatile, and oh so chic through days at work, with family, or out for the evening. But finding that “just right” set that’s well-crafted and sustainably made can be a whole other story. That’s why this sustainable flats guide exists.
Comfort, style, sustainability, and longevity are a lot to ask in a shoe, but I don’t believe it’s too much. It just takes some extra digging. And thankfully, I’ve done that digging for you. Because I get it! I want a flat that looks beautiful. I want a flat that’s made responsibly in line with my values. I want a shoe I can actually wear for my life. And I want that shoe to be worth the investment — it has to last. That’s why I vetted through dozens of brands to create this curated list of flats.
What Makes a Flat More Sustainable?
Material Sourcing
Footwear is a tricky category when it comes to sustainable fashion because we ask a lot of our shoes. We wear them in rain or sunshine, paved paths and cobblestone, day in and day out for years. And through it all, they have to remain beautiful. Because when they’re unwearable, there’s not much left to do with them: there is no viable footwear recycling today. Anywhere that calls it “shoe recycling” is really repurposing that footwear. But once it can no longer be worn, it’s simply trash.
In other words, our shoes need to be incredibly durable, even though the most durable materials don’t always come with the lightest footprint. In footwear, when we talk about durability, we usually rely on leather or high-performance synthetic materials. Leather can hold up with many years of wear, getting more beautiful with wear, and is easy to repair when needed. Synthetic materials are also durable, particularly for withstanding the elements like snow and rain.
But sourcing these materials conventionally is highly polluting — so how can we source these materials better?
For synthetics, we have recycled options. Today, that’s largely recycling from plastic bottles, which isn’t without it’s controversies, but there is much innovation happening in the industry around true textile-to-textile recycling.
For leather, I look for:
- Vegetable-tanned (rather than chromium tanned)
- Locally-sourced leather (more traceability), and/or
- Leather Working Group certified leather, which covers responsible management of water, energy, and waste; safe chemical management, traceability of the raw material, and occupational safety for workers.
Notably, there is no certification for animal welfare, so these are imperfect systems. But the alternative is footwear made from synthetic plastic materials or vegan leather alternatives that don’t yet meet the same durability standards as leather. Sustainability within today’s constraints requires trade-offs.
That said, there is always secondhand leather — by buying shoes secondhand you can access the quality of leather without adding further demand for the material.
Responsible Manufacturing
When considering responsible production practices, I look for first and foremost: transparency. Seeing what the brand shares about their material sourcing, their process, and who made their shoes where. And then I look at the details of that process: were the shoes made locally or within a geographic region? How are the workers paid and treated — and under which conditions do they work?
And, sometimes a brand employs an out-of-the-box approach to manufacturing entirely. There are a few slow fashion footwear brands challenging the traditional fashion system of ordering in mass quantities before demand is assessed —which inevitably leads to overproduction. These brands use an “on demand” model instead, producing their shoes only after they’ve been ordered. This reduces the risk of overproduction (i.e. producing more than what gets sold) while also encouraging more thoughtful consumption. You can’t impulse buy a pair of Mary Janes that you have to wait 8 weeks for.
Wearable and Beautiful
The most perfectly environmentally sustainable flat in the world is useless if no one wants to wear it. And as I mentioned earlier, footwear cannot be recycled into new footwear at the end of its life, so we want our shoes to last a really long time. That means they need to be design forward and comfortable, too.
My Top Picks for More Sustainable and Ethical Flats
Keeping all of that in mind, these more sustainable flats brands meet this criteria, albeit to various extents. Some err more on comfort while some more on style. Some have admirable levels of transparency and social impact, while other brands have more of a focus on their ecological impact. I’ve included descriptions alongside each brand as well as a summary of conscious qualities so you can find a brand that meets your priorities best. And, of course, a price range so you know what makes sense for your budget as well.
Some that this guide includes affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you shop through these links. As always, brands featured in shopping guides are brands that meet our strict sustainability criteria that we think you’ll love.
1. ALOHAS
Spanish brand ALOHAS flips the typical fashion production system on its head with its on-demand model.
Instead of overproducing thousands of shoes to later discount them, ALOHAS does the exact opposite. Its newest styles are available for pre-order at a discount of 30%, so the footwear brand can more accurately forecast demand. Then the shoes — like their flats — are primarily made by local artisans in Spain and Portugal. The brand regularly shows the behind the scenes of their production on their social media.
Conscious Qualities: On-Demand Production, Locally Made
Size Range: EU 35-42 (US 5-11)
Price Range: $195-$225
2. Rothy’s
If you’re looking for flats for all-day wear at work or running errands, Rothy’s is my recommendation with their cushy insoles. The brand makes their more sustainable flats from recycled plastic bottles, as well as materials like hemp and merino wool, but they still look sleek enough for the office.
While I might not wear Rothy’s flats to a fashion event (I prefer smooth leather for more elevated occasions), they are more than stylish enough to wear to most of my real-life scenarios. My favorite part about Rothy’s, though, is that they are machine washable.
Materials: Recycled & Natural Materials, Owns One Factory (undisclosed percentage of production)
Size Range: US 5-13
Price Range: $99-$165
3. Vivaia
Vivaia has the most adorable sustainable Mary Janes made from recycled plastic bottles. The adjustable straps and arch support make Vivaia’s Mary Janes suitable for all-day comfort, even if your feet are typically prone to slipping out of flats.
This vegan footwear brand also makes square-toe and pointed-toe flats for a more elevated look. And of the several recycled plastic bottle footwear brands on the market today, Vivaia tends to have the most elevated designs in my opinion.
Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Recycled Materials
Size Range: US 5-11
Price: $97 – $116
4. The RealReal
The RealReal is an authenticated luxury resale platform with contemporary, designer, and high-end luxury brands. Depending on your priorities you can find shoes in anywhere from pristine condition (but higher priced)) to “fair” or even “as is” for the largest discount from full price.
You don’t always have as many options aesthetically when shopping more sustainably, so I like to go to The RealReal when I’m looking for specific styles. I was recently looking for Mary Janes with feminine detailing and came across Larroude Flats on The RealReal, where I purchased a pair of neutral scalloped accent flats. (Pictured here!)
Conscious Qualities: Secondhand
Size Range: US 3.5-14
Price Range: $9+
5. ESSĒN
ESSĒN elegant, minimalist footwear is artisan handcrafted from Leather Working Group-certified leather in solar-powered facilities in Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Each shoe also comes with a product passport where you can view the step-by-step journey that product took through the brand’s supply chain from raw material to manufacturing to packaging and distribution.
Beyond transparency and responsible manufacturing, ESSĒN’s slow fashion business model prevents overproduction by operating on a made to order basis. Meaning while sizes and styles are predefined, the shoes are only produced after they’ve been ordered.
Conscious Qualities: LWG Certified, Supply Chain Transparency, On Demand Production
Size Range: EU 35-44 (US 4-13)
Price Range: $295-$450
6. Allbirds
Another comfort-first footwear option besides Rothy’s is Allbirds. The brand creates lightweight, super smooth and breathable flats from tree fibers, aptly called “Tree Breezers”. The (washable) shoes are also soft enough to wear without socks.
The Allbirds Tree Breezers are far more comfortable than typical flats, though I find that the Rothy’s are slightly comfier.
Conscious Qualities: Natural materials (FSC-Certified eucalyptus, castor mean oil, sugarcane EVA)
Size Range: US 5-11
Price Range: $105-$125
7. Darzah
Fair trade certified by Fair Trade Federation, Darzah’s ethical flats are entirely hand-embroidered and handcrafted in Palestine from locally sourced leather.
The tatreez flats from this nonprofit are embroidered by refugee and low-income women artisans in the West Bank with this traditional Palestinian techniques.
Conscious Qualities: Sustains Heritage Crafts, Fair Trade Certified
Size Range: EU 36-41 (US 6-10)
Price Range: $199 – $209
8. Nisolo
If you’re seeking a quality pair of classic leather flats ideal for your capsule wardrobe, Nisolo is a strong pick. Nisolo’s flats are handcrafted by artisans using leather sourced from a Leather Working Group certified tannery.
I’ve been wearing my Nisolo shoes for many years and can attest to their quality and durability.
That said, the brand has recently turned over to new ownership and now has significantly less information about their sustainability and ethics in their supply chain. I will be keeping a close eye on this brand to see if it continues to uphold the values Nisolo has long held.
Conscious Qualities: LWG-Certified, Artisan Handcrafted
Size Range: US 5-11
Price: $138 – $198
For More Slow Fashion Content:
You May Also Want to Check Out:
The Best Affordable Ethical Fashion Brands
Responsibly Made Vegan Shoe Brands
15 Brands with Ethical Boots to Rock this Fall (and Beyond)
The post 8 Best Ethical & Sustainable Flats That Are Effortlessly Chic appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-ethical-flats/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sustainable-ethical-flats
Today’s quote is from writer, businessman, and conservationist Simon M. Lamb. In his book, Junglenomics: Nature’s Solutions to the World Environment Crisis, he suggests that nature provides solutions to help us reform our environmentally destructive economic practices.
Lamb writes, “As in nature, so in economics — what provides survives.”
Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.
Editor’s Note: This poster was originally published on March 27, 2020.
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https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-what-provides-survives-simon-m-lamb/
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