In April, all retail roads lead to Earth Day. At least that's what it seems like. Retailers from Wal-Mart to Nordstrom, Banana Republic to Barney's Co-Op are all promising us options to reduce our "eco-footprint".

Eco-friendly, Green and Environmentally friendly all can be described as "synonyms used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment" according to Wikipedia .

When searching for an eco-friendly product, there are many things to consider. You want to look for something made from sustainable materials like, bamboo, organic cotton and a whole gamut of recycled products ranging from tires to old shoes. One might also decide on something made without toxic processing agents and little energy from new natural resources.

When considering cotton, Natural Healthcare wants us to consider the following:

"…growing cotton uses 22.5 percent of all the insecticides used globally? Growing enough cotton for one t-shirt requires 257 gallons of water. On top of that, bleaching and then dyeing the resulting fabric creates toxins that flow into our ecosystem. The use of rayon for clothing is contributing to the rapid depletion of the world's forests. Petroleum-based products are detrimental to the environment on many levels. Fortunately there are alternatives."

So what's a self respecting shoe-loving woman to do? Read on for some alternatives that you can feel good about.

This first selection is the Artists for Humanity Slip On by Keds. The company is supporting the Boston non-profit charity Artists for Humanity which "provides professional art experience for the local community through after school programming." These budding artists designed the shoe based on their concern for the environmental impact of bottled water consumption (hence, the water bottles on the shoe).

In addition, for each sale of the shoes, $1 will be donated to Artists for Humanity. Here are a few other interesting stats about the shoes: 100% Organic uppers; 25% Recycled uppers; 25% Recycled rubber outsole and Water based printing inks.

Tera Plana is also another great option when looking for "green" shoes. This merchant who received inspiration from ecological survival, believes in a variety of non-generic products and sustainable strategies.

Included in this strategy are the following: reparability, lightness, anatomic design, and durability. These factors are at the heart of Tera Plana products. The company goes on to say:

"We at Terra Plana regularly re-evaluate what we can do to minimize waste and toxin use and maximize product use and love. Materials are the first way to improve sustainable practice Terra Plana uses a variety of eco-friendly materials including: Chrome free leathers, vegetable tanned leathers, recycled materials, pure latex soling materials, recycled rubber soles and recycled foam foot beds. Terra Plana also introduces E-leather. An eco revolutionary leather by-product. E-leather is a unique blend of leather and textile fibers Intimately 're-woven' and finished so it is practically indistinguishable from good quality leather. E-Leather is produced with closed loop water usage and best practice pollution prevention methods."

You may also click here for the "icon glossary" they use when describing their shoes.

Here are some of my top picks:

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Finally, I left one of the best for last. MINK Shoes was the brain child of Rebecca Brough, a former model , fashion stylist and self described "card-carrying vegan". Her collection of innovative shoes are assembled with materials from sustainable resources such as wood, rubber and cork. Furthermore, they are adorned with organic cotton, linen, denim and interesting detailing. She also uses savvy packaging made from recycled products with handles that double as a bag to avoid the necessity of plastic.

With a bit of tongue-and-cheek humor, she used names of animals for her samples when she developed her first collection. So when you see the names like, VULTURE, MONKEY and HOG, you know the inside joke.

Let's get to the good stuff…the shoes!

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Now you are armed and ready for Earth Day on April 22nd to walk proudly in your "eco-friendly" shoes. No need to wear a pair of Birkinstocks (but that's ok if you do), you just have another alternative.

Fashion Sensei is a unabashed lover of all things artistic and stylish. To read more on her blog Fashion Sensei, click here.