Working Sustainably
Sustainability – How important is it to your business?
How many times have you been bathing a dog and thought, “gee we use a lot of water", or perhaps “I wonder what I could do with all this hair?”.
Simply thinking about sustainability in your day-to-day life and actually actioning it are two very different things.
We can make sustainable choices in all sorts of aspects of our lives whether that be in our homes, places of work or within our communities. Leading by example can have an impressionable effect on those around us and each effort towards sustainability reduces our environmental footprint.
Let’s have a look at what we can do each day to become more sustainable:
· Chemical-free Cleaning Agents
There are several chemical-free cleaning agents available. They can often be a healthier choice with fewer usage risks, be more cost effective as well as being better for the environment.
So why don’t we use them? Maybe we feel as though they’re not as effective or that they don’t smell as fresh but it’s important to understand that cleaning is not the same thing as sanitising.
Have a look in your local area for some environmentally-safe cleaning suppliers, you may be pleasantly surprised!
Check out this website for some inspiration:
https://www.greenmatters.com/p/eco-friendly-natural-disinfectant-cleaner
· Solar Panels
Not everyone can afford or has access to place these on a rental business but they are a terrific way of keeping costs down and reducing fossil fuels.
Many States have incentives for home and business packages. Solar panels have come a long way and once they have been manufactured, they have zero carbon emissions.
Certainly something to think about for home, salon or mobile groomers.
· Recycling
This is something we can all do and at relatively no cost. By placing recycling and compost bins in your business, we can directly improve the environment by reducing our output of landfill waste.
Do you or your staff know what can and cannot be recycled?
Have a look at this website, you may want to print a poster and place it near your bins:
https://www.recycling.vic.gov.au/
· Buying Locally
Thinking sustainably about where we get our products and consumables from might influence purchasing decisions. For example, Shampoos and Conditioners from overseas have a large environmental footprint and often have different botanic makeups.
Packaging and freight have big effects on the environment. By purchasing our products closer to home, we can lessen this effect immensely.
· Pet Sustainability
In early 2013, a group of 8 product manufactures came together to create the Pet Industry Sustainability Coalition (PISC) Check out some of their incredible resources:
https://www.petsustainability.org
https://petsustainability.org/toolkit-landing-page
To take an employee survey, follow this link:
Survey: https://petsustainability.org/download/8359/
There is so much we can do to improve the way we work and live to ensure our environment is protected for greater longevity. Help by playing a small but vital role in protecting our earth’s resources.
INTERVIEW WITH SUSTAINABLE SALONS
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