Spas Going Green
June 25th, 2007 • Posted by Stephany Toman • Permalink
Global warming and the consequences to humanity are the topics of conversation at scientific and business conferences, political events, cocktail parties, family reunions, around the water cooler, in the classroom and wherever just about anyone takes the time to discuss current events. Sometimes just talking about the weather is all it takes to start a dialogue about rising sea levels, shrinking ice caps and the peril of droughts where wetness once reigned.
We're tossing around terms like reduce, reuse, recycle, earth friendly, sustainability, and reduce your carbon footprint like we've been doing it for years.
People are concerned, and many are doing something about it. We recently installed some new light fixtures in our house during bathroom renovations, and chose low-energy compact flourescent units over conventional incandescent lighting. I didn't know if I'd like to get ready in the flourescent vs incandescent light, but after a couple of weeks have adjusted well. Turns out the light is truer, although honestly, some mornings I do wish it were a little less true.
We aren't alone. Many people are replacing incandescent lighting with compact flourescent, and are actively recycling and generally doing whatever they can do to contribute to the very worthwhile effort of saving the planet's resources. Every positive act helps, and if we all do a little, it'll add up to a lot.
What are our spas doing in terms of going green? We know of some (whose stories we will share once their greening projects are in place) who are going all out to make changes in their establishments.
Just so you know, by using our Instant Gift Certificates you are already contributing! There's no fulfillment, no mail service necessary, no petroleum products required to produce a card, and if you count quality of life into the equation, you're helping your clients relax in the comfort of their own homes or offices and purchase your online gift certificates at their leisure.
Please let us know how you've chosen to aid in the effort! We're all ears.
June 26th, 2007 at 7:22 am
To learn more about spas that are going green, visit www.spaswithacause.com. It's a website that is in the process of launching an online directory of socially responsible and eco-friendly spas.
July 1st, 2007 at 10:11 am
With little fanfare, my husband and I built our current Aspinwall location to be a leader in “green building” technology. We identified and remodeled a discarded space originally built in 1917. We built our walls using recycled steel studs saving a forest of trees. Our floors are recycled cement. Almost all of the paint was unwanted “ooops” mistakes. A majority of our fixtures (doors, windows, sinks, ductwork, etc.) were saved from landfills through a local non-profit that accepts and resells unwanted building materials. We use compact fluorescent lighting, Bosch Tankless Water Heaters, aerated low-flow shower-heads and HE washers to reduce our daily utility demand. And we are committed to using and selling organic products that are environmentally responsible (and they are less toxic and so much more effective). The best part about our being “green” is that these things didn’t cost more to build and they save us money every day.