Aveda celebrates earth month with top tips to make your salon greener

Eco-friendly brand, Aveda, has celebrated Earth Day since they founded in 1978 and to really prove their green credentials, launched Earth Month in April 1999.

Aveda has since raised more than $26 million for organisations that support environmental change - but it's not just about raising money, it's also about raising awareness.

This year, Aveda is helping your salon become greener, more environmentally efficient and more socially aware with ideas to implement change every day throughout April.

Let us know how you get on - and support Earth Month - by following #avedaearthcuts on Twitter.

Clean up your mailing lists to avoid duplicate mailings and undeliverable addresses. You'll save money and trees.

Make two-sided printing and copying standard practice in your salon.

Properly recycle all recyclable materials. Call your local council to find out how to recycle in your community and place recycle bins in convenient locations.

Buy products made with, or packaged using, recycled materials such as recycled paper, plastic or metal. Purchasing products made from recycled materials conserves resources and supports the recycling market.

Purchase non-chlorine bleached and/or chlorine-free paper products with recycled content. Choose post-consumer recycled (PCR) content in as high a percentage as possible.

Contact your water utility provider to schedule a water use survey of your facility. Surveys are usually free and provide an easy way to identify the most effective means to save water in your salon.

A higher than usual water bill could signal a leak. Learn to read your water meter and review your bill for unusual increases to catch problems early on and prevent additional, costlier problems down the road.

Take the Water Flow Test: Use a bucket and a timer to measure how many gallons of water you use per minute for sinks, shampoo bowls, and showers. Aim for a goal of 2.5 gallons per minute or less to avoid water waste.

If you exceed your goal for water flow, install water saving devices such as low-flow aerators in kitchen-type taps, low-flow shower heads, ultra-low-flush toilets etc

Look for a space with efficient sinks, showers and washers if you are opening a new location. Ask your new landlord to help offset the cost for updating current fixtures.

Ask your energy provider to conduct an energy audit of your salon and provide you with specific suggestions to conserve energy. 

Choose equipment and appliances with energy saving features. Look for copiers, printers, washing machines etc. with the ENERGY STARTM, EnerGuide or similar program logos.

Replace as many incandescent bulbs as you can with halogen par lamps, low mercury, compact fluorescents and low voltage track lighting.

Install ceiling fans. Most ceiling fans use only as much power as a 100 watt light bulb. When used properly, ceiling fans can help save money on your utility bill in both the winter and summer months.

Install a programmable thermostat and set to a comfortable temperature. For every degree you lower your heat in the 60-degree to 70-degree range, you'll save up to 5% on heating costs

Ask employees to turn off lights in staff/break rooms, storage rooms and vacant treatment rooms. In break rooms and storage rooms, install fixtures that are activated by a motion detector.

Turn off equipment like computers, monitors and stereos at the end of the working day.

Always turn off lights when leaving a room. Why not set a calming and tranquil atmosphere by purchasing a limited edition Light the Way Candle - donating 100% of the retail price to Global Greengrants Fund. Visit www.aveda.co.uk to order today!

Unplug devices when not in use or put all of your electronics and chargers on a power strip that can be turned off. Items continue to use energy when plugged in, even if they are turned off.

Switch to bulk-dispensed soap and other amenities in bathrooms. Select products with the least packaging and/or which have easily recyclable packaging. Aveda are proud to be the first beauty company with 100% post-consumer recycled PET bottles and jars.

Purchase reusable rather than disposable office items, such as refillable pens, erasable white boards and wall calendars.

Offer a small incentive to customers who bring their own shopping bags. Why not purchase Aveda Light the Way candles as incentive gifts? Visit  www.aveda.co.uk to order today. 

Identify and eliminate unnecessary forms. Double side or redesign forms to use less space, or have forms on electronic media such as an iPad.

Purchasing products made from post-consumer recycled materials conserves resources and is essential to support the recycling market.

Install dimmer switches in areas in which maximum lamp output is not necessary.

Install occupancy sensors in back of house, less busy areas.

Calculate! Aveda look at calculating the carbon footprint for as many activities as possible, from the energy used in manufacturing to the energy used to plant, harvest and transport the ingredients in products. 

Reduce -Reuse - Recycle

Find out more about Earth Month and the good work it does - visit www.aveda.co.uk