In many aspects, you’re only as healthy as your environment. We breathe the air, drink the water, eat the plants and animals and absorb the chemicals. Earth Day 2014, April 22, is a good time to evaluate how some of our earth abuse sabotages our own health.
In addition, in your work at the salon you’re using a lot of water and power, sending hair color down the drain and creating quite a bit of trash. Clients like to know that you’re doing the best to protect their health. How can you and your salon create a more environmentally friendly environment?
Some years back, MODERN SALON put together a supplement, Green Beauty, that discussed salon pros’ role in sustainability and keeping the earth clean. To save paper, it’s digital—which is cool, because little videos are embedded right into the magazine pages! It’s chock-full of information, with tons of ideas about how to reduce, reuse and recycle. Here’s just a taste.
10 THINGS TO DO NOW AT YOUR SALON
REDUCE
1. Limit paper usage.
2. Shut down computers at night.
3. Buy local to save transportation fuel.
4. Replace bottled water with pitchers of tap water.
REUSE
5. Switch to rechargeable batteries.
6. Replace baggies with durable containers.
7. Create reusable retail bags with your logo and encourage guests to bring them in for purchases.
RECYCLE
8. Place recycle bins in staff room.
9. Gather cell phones and printer cartridges for recycling.
CHAMPION THE CAUSE
10. Spread the word! Tell clients, vendors and neighboring businesses that you are protecting the earth’s resources. Incorporate the philosophy into your mission statement and post it on your website.
Famed salon consultant Geno Stampora has created a quiz: How Green Is Your Salon?
1. Have you replaced paper towels with blowers?
Yes: 2 points.
Intend to do it: 1 point.
No: 0 points.
2. Have you switched over to green cleaning products?
Yes, completely: 2 points.
Partially: 1 point.
No: 0 points.
3. How many of your appliances are Energy Star-certified?
All of them: 2 points.
Some of them: 1 point.
None: 0.
4. How often do you turn off unnecessary lights off and lessen heat/air-conditioning use?
Always: 2 points.
Sometimes: 1 point.
Never: 0 points.
5. How many of your batteries are rechargeable and recyclable?
All of them: 2 points.
Some of the: 1 point.
None: 0 points.
6. Do you take advantage of suppliers’ buy-back policies?
Yes, as often as possible: 2 points. Sometimes: 1 point.
No/our suppliers have no such policies: 0 points.
13-14 points: You rock!
10-12 points: You’re doing great, but keep going because there’s still room to grow.
5-9 points: You’re making an effort. Continue to learn and set goals.
0-4 points: Get moving! People want to deal with greener businesses.
Click here to read the entire Green Beauty edition. And if you’re in the Los Angeles area, you can check out City of Hope’s Earth Day Community Event, scheduled for April 22 from 11:30am to 1pm at the Helford Hospital in Duarte, CA, and sponsored by the City of Hope Wellness Council. You’ll learn about everything City of Hope is doing to increase sustainability and reduce the “footprint.” Who should attend? Everyone!
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