“We use only nontoxic ingredients that are completely safe for the skin, the body and the environment in all our products and throughout our four spa locations,” said Greg Bohn, CEO of Spa Habitat.Greg Bohn, CEO, Spa Habitat, Dallas, Texas
- Use reclaimed wood or other organic materials at all guest touch points in order to reinforce the green and organic feel throughout the spa experience.
- Should you use organic cotton linens that were harvested sustainably and without pesticides or chemicals, or eco-friendly linens that use less water or electricity? There’s no perfect choice. Just commit to your decision, be able to explain to your guests why it makes a difference, and do your best to do your part.
Peter Plishka, director of communications, Natural Body Spa, Atlanta
- Use nontoxic paint. Our goal is to only apply a full coat of no-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint every 10 years and from 5 feet down every 3.33 years.
- Choose service room floors, furniture and displays crafted from post-industrial materials and reclaimed wood. Square FLOR modular flooring tiles allow for the replacement of single pieces if permanently stained.
- Utilize HEPA vacuums to keep dust and other airborne allergens at bay.
Amy Matincheck, spa director, Sasanqua Spa at The Kiawah Island Club, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
- Replace all existing light bulbs with energy-efficient LED and CFL bulbs, and label power strips in all treatment rooms and office areas with instructions to turn them off when not in use.
- Establish an in-spa recycling awareness program: Place recycling bins next to all trash cans with clearly marked signs indicating what constitutes acceptable waste.
- Eliminate the use of disposable paper products, and reduce office supply waste by reusing all previously used paper for internal memos and scratch paper.
Tara Calton, spa director, The Allison Spa, Newberg, Oregon
- Grow your own ingredients such as herbs for tea infusion, grapes (seeds) for body products, and even flowers used to garnish treatment setup and decor for your spa.
- Find new uses for old linens. They make great cleaning towels, for example.
Monika Jalovec, spa director, Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California
- Create an interior setting instilled with elements of modern elegance and unexpected earthy touches like natural-fiber pillows, certified organic bathrobes, and organic lavender soap from a local farm.
- Whenever possible, reuse structural materials—reclaimed wood, glass, steel and stone—to enhance the facility’s sense of harmony with nature.
Read the the feature in our digital edition here.
—Vicki Arkoff
The Allison Spa uses ‘clean cosmeceuticals’ with organic ingredients such as seed oils, plant stem cells and botanical extracts.The Allison Spa uses ‘clean cosmeceuticals’ with organic ingredients such as seed oils, plant stem cells and botanical extracts.
