I read a couple of weeks ago that the sneaker maker, Puma, is”going green” with its shoe packaging.

They think they’re going to start a new trend and the old standbyshoebox will eventually become something of the past.

I say, “Hold on there a minute!”

I use shoeboxes for a lot more than just shoes. Although, I do usea bunch of ‘em for my shoes.

Puma’s “new” and improved version of its shoebox is a cardboardinsert that resembles an old-time egg carton with a fancy bagaround it.

The shoemaker says it would save lots of paper, electricity, waterand diesel each year. Maybe so. But where am I supposed to put mystuff?

And what if the whole shoe industry looks at this new innovativeway of packaging shoes and decides they’re all going to do thesame. Where am I going to store all of my bank statements?

When I have extra photographs and no photo albums at the moment,where are they going to go?

Then you have to think about all the little boys and girls outthere who catch frogs, lizards and other small creatures – whereare they going to put them now if there aren’t any shoeboxes? I seea lot of homeless turtles in our future.

But let’s back up. I’m still worried about my shoes. They’re goingto be orphaned and “shoeboxless.” How do you stack bags ofshoes?

I’ll have to resort to the plastic see-through hangy-things thatstick to the back of a door or the slide-under-the-bedthings.

I think this new shoe-bag craze has the potential to become aconspiracy against us shoe people who love our shoeboxes.

Puma even named its new invention “The Clever Little Bag.” I don’tthink it’s so clever and I hope a lot of other folks don’t think soeither.

I love my shoeboxes. They stack neatly. They have a description ofmy shoes on the outside of the box – no guesswork involved.

There is even a price sticker there to remind me of how much or howlittle I paid for those shoes. If I got a great deal – I feel evenbetter when I slip them on. If I paid too much, it reminds me Ineed to wear them some more and get my money’s worth. How can I getall of that information and comfort from a flimsy bag?

I’m going on record as being a die-hard “shoeboxer.” No matter howmany cute “clever” bags they throw at me – I’m going to remainastute and true to the original cardboard box.

After all, they’ve held my most treasured items long before Irealized they would become keepsakes.

All of the cute little love notes from my husband held a specialplace in my closet in one of those shoeboxes. They’ve even servedas hiding places for tiny Christmas presents. There are just dozensand dozens of useful benefits that the all-mighty shoeboxserves.

I don’t want to see them go the way of the cigar box. It too heldmany memories and keepsakes for many, many people before theybecame extinct.

Yes, I think Puma thinks it’s being “clever.” I don’t thinkso.

And how was your week?