Solution #1: Choose Environmentally Friendly Salon Products
There are many hair and beauty product brands that put a focus on going green. However, there’s a big difference between brands that are environmentally focused and others that truly work towards sustainability. A goal for hair and beauty salons should be to cut out plastic as much as possible while using non-toxic, environmentally friendly products.
One of the reasons it’s important to cut out plastic is that it can’t be recycled forever. In reality, plastic gets weaker and weaker over time until it can no longer be converted to other products. Eventually, plastic products have nowhere to go besides landfills and even the oceans.
Salons that make an effort to cut out plastic as much as possible and choose sustainable products make huge impacts in the long run. They also serve as examples for other salons to imitate.
Solution #2: Be Careful About Waste Disposal
Millions of pounds of foil and color tube waste were dumped into American landfills last year. This happens even though the aluminum can be recycled many times over without losing its structural integrity. Salons go through a large amount of foil and plastic so it’s important to make sure all products are recycled properly.
Many salons are already employing highly effective recycling techniques. One example is Fruition Salon in the Hillsboro-Belmont area of Nashville, TN. In the video below, Lauren Gish, owner, and stylist at Fruition, explains how her team not only recycles all foils and plastics but recycles hair and unused color as well. Fruition Salon is one of many businesses partnered with Green Circle Salons, a company dedicated to cleaning up the beauty industry by employing environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices.
Solution #3: Carry Refillable Products
This is a technique that’s still foreign to many salons but is quickly growing traction. It goes back to the importance of cutting down on plastic. Salons that offer refillable products or support refill programs can effectively cut down on plastic use while enjoying a revenue stream of client refills. It’s been shown that businesses using refill programs see significantly more returning customers for those specific products. This is due to the fact that refills are less expensive to the business and consumer than purchasing a new product with the original packaging. If the program is set up correctly, it’s a win for everyone… including the environment.
Solution #4: Use Products That Are Not Animal Tested
According to Simply Organic Beauty, over 100 million animals die every year from animal testing. In addition, millions more are captured to serve this purpose. Animal testing can be cruel, but it is also an environmental concern. Taking animals out of the wild in certain parts of the world can disrupt the natural food-chain hierarchy. It also takes considerable resources to keep these animals captive. This is why products that are not tested on animals can actually be less expensive than ones that are.
This is another simple way salons can be ethical and eco-friendly while cutting down on undue suffering.
Solution #5: Save Energy Where You Can
It’s no secret that hair and beauty salons use a lot of energy. Lighting, hairdryers, hot water, etc. all play a major role in a salon’s energy use. Cutting down on energy is not only good for the environment but directly lowers daily overhead costs. Luckily, there are effective methods of doing this that salons can implement immediately.
One effective method is to choose LED lighting. LED light bulbs are incredibly efficient. They cut down a light's energy consumption by over 75% while lasting over 20 times as long. There are other methods for cutting down on energy consumption like checking drains, faucets, and pipes regularly. Many salons reuse rinse water to cut down on water usage. Using sustainable materials like bamboo brushes, for example, are another way to turn a salon eco-friendly.
Conclusion
Salons, in general, use a lot of energy and resources. But these and many more methods can be employed to significantly cut down on that usage. On top of the reasons listed here, salons can use ammonia-free products, products with no carbon footprint, use air-purifying plants, formaldehyde-free products, etc. It’s also important for owners to promote a culture of sustainability at a salon. Major changes can happen quickly when an entire team is mindful of their energy consumption and disposal techniques. Whether it's a hair salon in Nashville or a beauty salon in Alaska, steps can always be taken to reduce a business's carbon footprint. Every decision towards sustainability creates lasting impacts that positively affect the world.
