ABS and Pureology Host Sustainability Summit

The first seminar event that I visited at ABS was the annual Salon Spa Sustainability Summit on Saturday, which was co-sponsored by Pureology. The pointers for living a green life and running a sustainable business covered an amazing range of topics.

Bonnie Canavino, a board member of Cosmetologists Chicago, was the moderator. Bonnie learned early in her career at Red Cherry Group to maximize her eco-friendly efforts and became a recycling maven. She encourages salons and spas to return boxes and packaging material and actually has some of her first shipment materials still on hand.

John Paul Dejoria, Chairman, CEO and co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems was slated to speak, but injured his knee and was unable to travel. That didn't stop him from appearing via video and delivering his message that "Giving Back is the New Black." Something as simple as turning around and greeting strangers in an elevator, reusing plastic bottles at home and just starting the day with a smile and things from the heart, he says that make people feel good, cost nothing and simply put "is the right thing."

On a grander scale, JPMS's Tea Tree products are completely carbon neutral. The company plants more trees than the carbon expended in harvesting, processing and shipping the Tea Tree line.

Giving sustains business, according to Matt Walsh of Splish Salon Systems. Connect with your community, help out local non-profits and get the word out about what you're doing. Getting all staff members on board is critical and the more the community learns about your efforts, the more business you will attract. It's a cycle of giving that is a win/win for everyone. "It's about us as a community," says Walsh. "It's the age of ‘we' not ‘me.'"

Want to really ramp up your greenness? Check out the National Association of Eco-Friendly Salons & Spas. The organization's founder and member of Cosmetologists Chicago Tamara Jercha discussed making your salon staff into a green team. A lot of what forward thinking salons are doing today, may well be mandated in the future. By establishing yourself as an environmentally and sustainably conscious salon or spa now, sets you apart from the pack. Celebrate your successes with staff and clients. Jercha suggests contacting a local chef and catering a meal made from local farmers' market harvests.
Are your utility bills over the top? Robert Nemeth, professor of architecture at the University of Illinois and head of the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center discusses the importance of lighting and construction materials when building or remodeling a salon or spa.

I popped back into the Summit to catch the closing panel discussion. The audience were obviously all committed to the cause and asked great questions that kept the dialogue going. Visit americasbeautyshow.com


An injury couldn't keep John Paul DeJoria from the Sustainability Summit. He appeared and delivered his message via technology.


All the Summit speakers gathered for a panel discussion and Q&A session with salon and spa owners in the audience.

Originally posted on Modern Salon