A salon working to full capacity every day consumes water and electricity and produces a lot of waste. A few simple rules can considerably reduce the environmental impact, improving the prospects of all the Earth’s inhabitants for a better life, today and tomorrow..
1. PRODUCE OXYGEN: Feature some pot plants in your salon (possibly using recycled Essential Haircare containers as vases). The oxygen produced by green plants balances out carbon dioxide emissions and they will make your salon more attractive.
2. USE RENEWABLE ENERGY: On average, you save 600g (21 oz.) of CO2 per KW of electricity consumed when you use renewable energy, as opposed to energy deriving from fossil fuels. Contact your local utility company for more information.
3. SAVE WATER: Always turn off the tap when massaging in products during a hair wash and have a flow reducer fitted to the tap: this is an inexpensive device and can reduce your water bill by 50%.
4. RECYCLE: Equip your salon with recycling bins for paper, plastics, glass and hair-colouring tubes.
5. CLEAN GREEN: Study the labels on the detergents you are thinking of buying, and choose the most environmentally friendly. This will reduce water pollution.
6. USE LOW-ENERGY LIGHTING: Choose light bulbs marked CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lights). They last 10 times longer and use 66% less energy than incandescent bulbs.
7. GO EASY WITH THE CENTRAL HEATING / AIR CONDITIONING: By setting the thermostat just 2°C (4°F) lower in winter and regulating for a temperature 2°C higher in summer, a salon can reduce its CO2 emissions by 499 kg (1,100 lb) annually. When you set the thermostat, think of the environment.
8. DON’T USE THROW-AWAY ITEMS: Buying items made to last is one of the simplest ways of cutting down on waste and saving the energy required to dispose of them.
9. WASH LINENS IN COLD WATER: Using your washing-machine’s cold-water programme avoids producing large quantities of CO2 (and your linens come out just as clean).
10. INSPIRE YOUR CUSTOMERS: Tell your customers about the responsible choices you have made: you may become their source of inspiration for both beauty and sustainable behavior.
11. REMEMBER TO CLEAN YOUR SALON’S WINDOWS
Make the most of the natural light and reduce your electricity bill to a minimum by keeping the salon’s windows clean. The natural light is ideal for reading your client’s colour.
12. ONLY USE YOUR WASHING MACHINE WHEN IT IS FULL
Wait until your washing machine is full with towels and other linens before you run it. This is a simple way to conserve both energy and water.
13. SWITCH OFF BLUETOOTH AND WIFI
To save energy, switch off the Bluetooth and WiFi functions on mobile phones and personal computers when not in use. That will boost your usable battery life, as well as save you money on your energy bills when charging your gadgets up again.
14. BUY RECYCLED TOILET AND KITCHEN PAPER
Keep up the demand for recycled products by simply choosing products made from recycled materials such as toilet paper and kitchen paper (paper towels, napkins, paper cups).
15. INVEST IN A WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEM
Instead of offering clients bottled water – and adding to the already enormous amount of plastic being recycled daily – invest in a water purification system that connects directly the pipes under your salon’s kitchen sink and purifies tap water. There are numerous companies that offer these systems, from very basic designs to more elaborate models.
For more info on Davines sustainables projects visit the Our Story section on Davines.com
