3 easy ways to save energy in your salon

In celebration of National Cut Your Energy Costs day today here's a reminder how energy-intensive hair salons can be. But it's not all doom and gloom, we also reveal easy ways to save energy in the salon too. Fact: the hair industry is energy intensive. One person washing their hair every day with a rinse, repeat and blow-dry uses 500kg of carbon dioxide a year, according to research from the University of Southampton. That’s the equivalent of a car being driven for 19.5 hours non-stop! It’s crazy to think about how much energy the hair industry as a whole must use every year. Being more eco-conscious in your salon is a plus for the planet, but it’s also a savvy marketing tool. After all, Iceland's banned Christmas ad, which featured an orangutan's home being destroyed, was watched over 65 million times online. Becoming more eco-conscious is likely to be trending topic well into 2019. The University of Southampton’s Eco Hair and Beauty project estimates that if a small four-seater salon adopts its eco-friendly practises (some of which are listed below), it could save over £5,000, over 24,150kWh of energy and 143,000 litres of water in a year! So here are three small tweaks you can make to save the planet (and money!)  

• Install a programmable thermostat and set it to a comfortable temperature. For every degree you lower your heat in the 60°C to 70°C range, you’ll save up to 5% on heating costs.
• Turn down the thermostat by about 2°C in the winter and up the same amount in the summer to prevent the emission of nearly 499kg of carbon dioxide annually.
• Swap cotton towels for biodegradable towels to save the cost, time and hassle associated with washing and drying. We rate Procare Disposable Towels which are fully biodegradable and are available in packs of 50 in either black or white.Why not encourage staff to complete an online training programme designed by the Ecohair team at the University of Southampton in association with VTCT and Habia? The free programme teaches stylists about key sustainability concepts, technologies and practices. Plus, at the end you will receive a Sustainable Salon certificate. Find out more at www.ecohairandbeauty.com.