First off is a new (to me, at least) shoe brand named SoleRebels. Based in Ethiopia, SoleRebels is channeling the skills over 40 people from the village community of Zenabwork with full time jobs and over 100 people with part-time jobs. African entrepreneur and founder Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu said to WWD magazine, “We passionately believe that trade, not aid, is the key to upliftment.”

From materials (like recycled car tires for soles and organic, hand-loomed cotton uppers from Ethiopians paid fair wages) and talent almost exclusively sourced locally, SoleRebels are now selling in stores all over the US, like Whole Foods, and online! They sought to re-invent the traditional Ethiopian selate shoe which, since its not so traditional over here state side, looks like something all-together new. SoleRebels uses both bright and muted colors, that means something for everyone, and the line has created many different styles with closed-toe and open-toe options. Plus, price points range well in the affordable category at $30 to $65.

Second, I just found out that Payless Shoe Source has launched a plan to contribute a portion of sales this year from their new green Zoe&Zac line AND from purchases of their $1.99 reusable shopping tote (and trust me, even though you’ve seen a million of them, this one is cute!) towards planting one billion trees with The Nature Conservatory’s aptly named Plant A Billion Trees program. I’m down with that, if I may say so, and I’ve lined up some of my shopping list items below, not to mention the bag.

Last, after being reminded by Lucky Magazine’s Spring Shoe Guide how much I love canvas sneakers (and being as their now in fashion and all), I decided to go to the source and visit the Keds website directly to see their new offerings. I was happily surprised to find a whole new Green section which, while not too large, has the same appeal as the shoes I expect from the brand. In addition to the usual recycled rubber soles (not to say that isn’t a huge step), these Keds also feature non-toxic inks and dyes, shoelaces that are 100% recycled water bottles, nickle-free eyelets and recycled insoles!

Their two green shoe styles (each in a few different colors) are below and hopefully we’ll be able to watch this section continue to grow!

P.S. I love this idea sponsored by Nickelodeon’s Big Green Help for everyone to turn off their lights tonight at 9 pm for one minute! (hopefully it doesn’t result in massive power overload induced outages when all the lights come back on, but let’s not let that ruin the fun).

“You’re not my normal type: You’re high maintenance suede, your heel is too low to cause me bodily harm, and worn with the wrong thing, your intricate latticework could be downright dominatrix. “Fierce”, is not usually what people would use to describe my wardrobe. But I can change, oh believe me, I can change for you!”

Read the rest and see the boots here. I know how you feel, Hanna. Long live the lust for shoes!

And I don’t mean to stand in the way of true love, but I humbly offer some alternatives below:

Also, In Shoe News:

Payless Shoe Source will soon be carrying an eco-friendly (and affordable) collection! Yay! According to sources, Summer Rayne Oakes (model, activist, television host) is going to help develop the multi-season line which is projected to appear in stores April 2009.

The first collection will be 8 to 12 styles of women’s shoes and handbags made from materials like organic cotton, linen, hemp and recycled rubber. But this line, unlike previous Payless designer collaborations, will eventually include shoes for men and kids too. Always cool. Company heads are supposedly hopeful that they will be able to see some of these eco-friendly aspects seep into other Payless brands and/or are just jumping the bandwagon of the “major marketing gimmick” that is “green” so long as it is profitable (according to Reuters). I prefer and hope for the more optimistic interpretation.

1. Copied from the ABC News article, “How High Heels Might Boost Your Sex Life” (!!!) -  “In a study to be published in the journal European Urology, Cerruto presented the results of her tests on 66 women under the age of 50.

She found that if they stood with their feet at a 15-degree angle to the ground (the equivalent of a 3-inch heel) the electrical activity in their pelvic muscles was less — indicating the muscles were more relaxed with higher heels, thus improving their strength and ability to contract.

“We now hope to prove that wearing heels during daily activity may reduce the need for pelvic exercises,” says Dr. Cerruto.”

Read the entire article here and let me know what you think.

2. Next, I was so excited to get notification that the new TOMs wrap boots are now available in select stores, but all the stores I checked from their announcement list said they weren’t getting any (Whole Foods, Nordstroms etc).

But I was very happy to find some random e-tailers that are selling them online (below) !! The boots can be wrapped to any height you want, in any way you want (over pants or socks or on bare legs, etc) and were inspired by traditional Argentine polo games and the brightly colored leg wraps on the game ponies.They’re like ankle boots with a giant ace bandage attached – so simple but so brilliant! And they come in red, green, brown, black and probably more colors even I don’t know of!

And, as always, you can feel good about buying TOMs shoes since he donates a pair to a child in need for every pair purchased.

I love the mirrored heel on the black sandals below and the asymmetrical rhinestone swoosh down the front (I admit I bought myself a pair in the champagne color… but it was for charity!!). And the dark teal platforms are trendy-tastic with a sexy snake embossed trim (skins are in for spring, but save the endangered slithery guys and go faux! Random FYI- If you’re in California it’s actually illegal to have python anything shipped to you). I love these shoes in the black and gray color too, but I really had to post the blue picture to give you a good example of the brand as a whole; bold, unexpected color is key to the Carlos Santana style. Last, have you ever seen anything like these metallic red wedges? I am completely digging the half d’orsay sides.

Another key player for good causes is Kenneth Cole. He uses advertising for his huge brand of clothing, shoes, handbags, etc., as an opportunity to say something useful and important, not solely for sales (although it works on me). In his book, Footnotes (a portion of the sales of which also go to benefit AIDS research) he says, ”Advertising, I believe, is an opportunity to introduce your point of view… With humor I try to fuse, for example, global concerns with fashion realities, without trivializing either, and without being confrontational.” In addition to AIDS research, they also support groups like: Help USA, The Sundance Institute, Rock The Vote and Riverkeeper (determined to protect the Hudson River and watershed of NYC!).

With a resume like that, you know you can feel good about purchasing Kenneth Cole shoes (doesn’t hurt that they also feel good on your feet!). My picks are these strappy leather boheme wooden heels (imagine with a long, billowy dress), a pair of lime green, snake embossed pumps (with anything! – ok, how about with some of those light colored wide leg jeans?) and I could not resist putting this last pair of black ankle-wrap sandals in for some serious I-wanna-dress-like-the-Olsens gladiator love. Just try not to wear them to Easter dinner with your family – grandma might faint ( love you g-mom).

Left to Right: Rampage metallic brown Juicy pumps, Style&Co teal Eliza satin heels, Steve Madden bone white Pleatt flat boots, Calvin Klein silver Ella espadrilles.