"I'm not a scientist - I'm a ceo, a pragmatist," Mark Parker, president and chief executive officer, told reporters at 7 World Trade Center. "I see potential for us to be a game changer.... This is good for our shareholders, our consumers and ultimately, our planet."

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The company is focusing on reducing its footprint in several areas:

Waste: Ten years ago, for every Nike shoe made, there was enough waste to create another shoe, but that has been reduced 50 percent and the company reuses two-thirds of the remaining waste, Vogel said. For packaging, the goal is to reduce waste 30 percent by 2010, and efforts so far will save Nike $6 million.

Energy: More than half of Nike’s energy use is embedded in materials, Vogel said. Utilizing recycled materials stands to lower energy usage.

Toxins: The company is shifting from solvent-based adhesives to water-based adhesives whenever possible.

Water: Dying materials is the largest use of water in the supply chain, and Nike is working on alternatives.