It’s bitter cold pretty much everywhere this winter and without a pair of Patagonia boots, Green Diva toes would be anything but toasty!

I guess those Woolly Bear caterpillars were right. We are going through one long, snowy and extremely cold winter herein the States.  Or were they? Can they actually predict how severe a winter will be?  Growing up, I loved finding those fuzzy black and orange Woolly caterpillars … so cute! It wasn’t until later I was told they may make pretty good weather forecasters. Myth, old wives tale, legend? Well that depends on who you talk to. Scientifically speaking, there have been experiments done on Mr. Woolley Bear, the most famous – the one which made the Woolley Bear the popular littler bugger it is today – was done by Dr. H.C. Curren.  Entomologists have gathered, counted and studied these furry little creatures … their conclusions are varied, to say the least.

Nevertheless, this winter we must bundle up!

From our head to our toes, venturing outdoors these days is not recommended unless every single bit of your body is well covered and well insulated. Enter my new winter boots made by Patagonia. Green Divas love Patagonia – not the region at the tip of South America (although I’d love to visit one day!) but the apparel company! Not only does Patagonia offer some of the coolest stuff to keep you warm, the niftiest outdoor clothing and a bathing suit or two as well, for the last 40-years, the company, it’s founders and employees have been and remain committed to the environment.

I have a pair of Patagonia’s Wintertide High Waterproof boots which came from a great company called Planet Shoes. Planet Shoes is a company also committed to sustainable, Earth-friendly business practices and looks for those Eco-Conscious Brands – like Patagonia –  to feature in the on-line shop. The shoe brands are those  which engage in a variety of sustainable business practices, including the use of:

• Renewable energy resources

• Recycled materials in footwear and packaging

• Sustainable product materials

In addition, Planet Shoes offers Carbon-Free Shipping in partnership with carbonfund.org. You may want to visit Planet Shoes’ Eco Shop to learn more about the environmentally friendly brands it carries and a whole lot more about the eco-friendly materials used to manufacture the shoes.

Now … back to my boots …these boots have proven themselves more than valuable this winter, they are essential. Past winters had me leaving the house and tooling around in my standard black clogs. Not a problem as for some time, winter has been bearably boring. NOT this year! Thank goodness for these toe warming, waterproof boots. These Wintertide boots are faux fur lined all the way to the top making for warm calves and ankles. I love the soles. Take a look, not only do they have deep treads, necessary to negotiate slippery, snow-covered surfaces, but take a look at the design. Long branches with leaves! How perfect! And the laces, well the laces go all the way up the front and are extra long making tying them makes it so easy as there’s no fumbling with laces that are too short to stayed tied. And these Wintertide boots are waterproof … ’nuff said!

An extra plus … Joey seems to like them as well. If you haven’t figured it out by now, Joey is one goofy cat. I love these boots and I love that they’re manufactured by a company which understands the importance of protecting our planet. 

Green Divas and Planet Shoes and Patagonia … Perfect together!

Green Divas are all about eco-friendly, sustainable living. As Green Divas want to live responsibly making sure Mother Earth and all she has to offer is protected for our children and all future generations … so does Planet Shoes. Did you know it takes the sole of a shoe 1,000 years to fully decompose? At Planet Shoes you’ll find many brands with eco-friendly shoes to help you shrink your environmental footprint and stay on top of the latest shoe fashions! Patagonia is just one of those brands and here’s why … this directly from it’s website:

Patagonia wants to be in business for a good long time, and a healthy planet is necessary for a healthy business. We want to act responsibly, live within our means and leave behind not only a habitable planet, but an Earth whose beauty and biodiversity is protected for those who come after us.

We think that business can inspire solutions to the environmental crisis, and that we owe those that work in the textile industry fair labor practices and safe working conditions.

 If I didn’t think it was important, I wouldn’t include it! Oh, and by the way … Green Diva Meg admits she has “boot envy”! I would share but she’s a full size smaller than I am. Sorry Meg!