by Lake Louise, M.Ed.

© 2010, Les Nouvelles Esthétiques, Inc.; http://lneonline.com/

Living green has become
the latest status symbol. Luckily for us, it is simple to begin to make a positive impact. Understand that turning your spa into a greener business is an incremental and ongoing process.

Here are simple steps that you can consider that will decrease the environmental impact of your daily routine.

• Switch from paper to electronic statements, bills and notifications.
• Unplug at least three small appliances while they are not in use each day.
• Replace one chemical cleaner with a natural one.
• Recycle five plastic bags and replace them with two reusable ones.
• Eliminate bottled water. Install a faucet filter and keep a glass pitcher handy filled with filtered water flavored with slices of organic cucumber or lemon for your guests instead.
• Recycle expired water filters.
• Replace two light bulbs with two compact fluorescent lights (CFL).
• As your sheets and towels become old, stained and worn out, replace them with organic cotton towels and sheets.
• Cut recyclable cloth sheets into strips to use for leg and arm waxing in place of pellon strips.
• Use both ends of the tongue depressor when waxing.
• Conserve water by offering dry exfoliation body treatments.
• At the end of the business day, turn turn off all lights and completely shut down and unplug all computers.
• Stock the staff break room with food and beverages that are organic, fair-trade or locally grown.
• Reduce paper use by keeping only digital files and printing on both sides of the paper whenever possible.
• Refill or recycle printer and toner cartridges at a collection center or through a mail-in service.
• Bring the styrofoam and cornstarch peanuts from the packages you receive to your local shipping center.
• Make recycling easy—label a container for every type of waste and place each in a designated area so that sorting through them will be quick and easy.
• Choose a solar or wind powered hosting company for your website.
• Use biodegradable garbage bags.
• Use 100 percent post consumer recycled paper for your business cards, brochures and flyers.
• Purchase office supplies that contain as much post-consumer recycled content as possible, including your printer paper, envelopes, bathroom tissue and paper towels.
• Use a low-flow toilet. Or create one yourself by placing a gallon jug
filled with water in the bottom of the toilet tank.
• Clean your indoor air naturally. Try boiling cinnamon, cloves or any other fragrant herb you enjoy.
• Turn recycled paper into scratch pads.
• Encourage others to bring or donate reusable utensils, storage containers, water bottles and cutlery rather than disposable goods. You can also do this yourself.
• Use a green merchant credit card processing service.
• Reuse shipping material. If your office sends out packages, use old boxes and shredded waste paper as packing material.
• Optimize the energy settings on your computers and other devices .
Each effort we make—both as individuals as well as collectively—does matter. These simple steps definitely do not cover every possible option, but the list does offer ideas for making a dent in your carbon footprint. Every change does make a difference, no matter how small it may be. Change begins with one. Let’s be one together! n

Lake Louise, M.Ed., received her master’s degree from Stanford University. As a visiting professor at the University of Costa Rica she taught sustainability and eco-responsibility in the Ecological Tourism Department. She is the founder of Lotus Moon, a natural skin care line that is safe for the body and the planet. Call 888.762.2667 or visitwww.lotusmoon.biz.

This interactive blog is a living educational tool built by GSN members for GSN members and others that embrace and promote the natural connections between personal wellbeing, economic sustainability and the health of our planet.