Creating an environmentally friendly salon

Every one of us has a responsibility to care for the planet, but business owners have an additional responsibility to ensure their enterprise is not damaging the environment. The good news is, for most salons, there are plenty of ways to become more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, and the best way to start is to assess your business. Ray Seymour, secretary general of the National Hairdressers' Federation, says there are plenty of small changes salons can make. "As well as looking at areas like lighting, water consumption and recycling, you should make sure the products you are using are environmentally friendly," he says. Ray advises asking your manufacturer for details on how damaging the end product is for the environment, and also how damaging the production process is. "Be a little frugal with stock - as it's not only better for the environment but will save you money. Two squirts of shampoo won't give you a better coverage than one. Think about how much stock is being wasted - and how much extra stock you really need," says Ray. If you're making all the necessary steps to become more environmentally friendly, then you'll probably want to work with a manufacturer that has the same values in protecting the environment. Aveda gives all its salons an 'environmental workbook' to help them tackle everyday ways to becoming a greener salon. "We recommend identifying an eco-healthy team leader. You could identify three goals for your salon to focus on, then offer incentives to encourage employees to participate," says marketing manager of Aveda UK, Paul Deacon. "Begin by tracking rates of water and energy use, rubbish, hazardous material and air quality." Eco-friendly haircare company Davines is very proactive in encouraging its salons to consider the environment in every element of their business. "One of the simplest ways to reduce waste is by buying items for your salon that are designed well and built to last. "It may be more convenient to purchase disposable objects, but the consequence is an enormous amount of physical waste as well as the loss of energy needed to produce and break them down," says director of marketing Jan Laan. One of the biggest areas of waste for any salon is cut hair. So what is the best way to dispose of it? According to the Compost Association, hair can be composted, but compost heaps need to be managed and, on its own, hair will not compost. It needs to be placed with other materials such as woods and plants in order to safely compost. However, you could look for a local commercial composting site and strike an agreement whereby you can dispose of all your waste hair. If you can't be persuaded to lead a greener lifestyle for the greater good of the planet, then think about the effect it will have on your finances. According to The Environment Agency, by taking simple steps to be greener businesses can save money that is the equivalent of a 5% increase in sales.