So we all know the environment and being eco friendly are important to Anne and her team. But what exactly are they doing? Big companies always make big claims that can be hard to believe but when Anne Veck says she wants to save the planet, and has reduced the salon’s carbon footprint to 11 tonnes a year, she has facts, bullet points, and actions to back herself up!
Anne Veck goals:
-Reduce demand for energy by lowering salon’s energy use!!!
-Reduce waste through more efficient systems
-Meet our reduced energy needs from renewable sources
-Reduce our and clients’ carbon footprints
-Use ethical and sustainable products whenever possible
The BIG question: HOW?
-First hair salon in world with the BlueGen Ceramic fuel cell technology which reduces energy use by half. In effect the salon now has its own mini power station. Converts gas to electricity at a very high efficiency rate, heats water and salon. And possibly the only hair or beauty salon in the UK to be certified Carbon Neutral (she wishes there were more!)
-Mains gas is green gas supplied by Ecotricity, generated from waste and algae!
-Mains electricity also 100% green energy from Ecotricity , from renewables.
-Compostable Easy Dry towels reduce hot water used in washing.
-EcoHead water saving and filter features on back wash taps.
-Water pipe insulation, to save heat!
-LED energy efficient lighting inside and outside the salon. So your selfies make you look good and feel good for saving the planet!
-Energy saving motion detecting lights in loo.
-The business uses Ecosia internet search engine, a company that uses it’s profits to plant trees.
-Larger windows increase use of natural light, reducing energy use for lighting!
-Instead of foil for colors and highlights, we use “Paper Not Foil”, which is recycled.
-All recyclable waste IS recycled and none goes to landfill.
-All new salon literature and stationery printed by Seacourt, possibly the world’s greenest
printers, NET carbon positive, water free, recycled card and paper, AND moving to paper free.
-Recycled loo paper from Who Gives A Crap, no ink, dyes or scents, 50% profits build toilets for people in need.
-Hair hoover removes water from clients’ hair, reduces need for towels and amount of time use the hair dryers.
-Salon is a Refill centre, the public can refill their bottles with our water, helping cut down on plastic bottle use.
-Eco friendly washing and cleaning products, Anne makes them at home, herself!
-Fair trade hot and cold drinks.(at least when the Covid-19 thing is done)
-Corporate sponsor “Investor in Wildlife” BBOWT, local wildlife trust campaigning for and protecting biodiversity.
Certified Carbon Neutral by Carbon Footprint Ltd May 2020. 11 tonnes of COs offset by supporting tree planting community project in Kenya.
Toxic Fashion project (video. photo shoot, etc.) highlighting environmental and ethical damage caused by fashion industry.
AND for all the salon’s recycling including the difficult to recycle stuff like hair, plastics and used colour tubes, Anne has partnered with the Green Salon Collective.
Not satisfied with embarking on her own sustainable salon journey, Anne is sharing the message and the tools other salon owners need. During lockdown 1, partner Keith wrote a “sustainable salon toolkit”, now called Salon Re:source and available here. Its full of simple steps you can take, many relevant to homes, individuals and all small businesses, so do download it!
