Green is Gorgeous – small spa changes, big difference.

I realized a while back that a relaxing trip the spa could create a lot of waste; imagine the paper, drinking cups, Qtips, cotton balls, dispensers and all that use of energy. Not at AvantGard, if we can avoid it. With the help of our dedicated team, we have made the following changes:

We switched to low energy fluorescent bulbs  and LED lights wherever possible, we no longer use paper drinking cups for our clients use, we installed a dishwasher and have plenty of tumblers to carry us throughout the day and we wash one load nightly to save water and energy.

We cut up used office paper for notes pads, we buy our wonderful professional products we use on clients in bulk to avoid extra packaging, we no longer include a 22 page brochure (made of recycled paper) with gift card purchases, we are encouraging the recipients to do the green thing and view our service menu online.

Additionally, I make monthly trips to Mail Boxes Etc to donate all those needed but annoying styrofoam peanuts we receive with our orders, and our team recycles everything, I mean everything! Interesting, a few years ago I think I would be called a “cheap boss” if I encouraged recycling paper for note pads, not now, and I don’t believe ever in the future.

My mother, rest in peace was born green, she always recycled everything, always took her own bags to the local market when nobody else did, and never wasted a thing. I am guilty in the past of telling her not to bother washing and recycling storage bags, and that using grocery bags to line the bathroom trash cans looked ugly with the store name on the side.  Thank goodness, she always ignored me and continued to take the buttons off old clothes that were too old to donate, having plenty of buttons to choose when she needed one. Funny, I am now becoming my mom and admire her for all those recycling lessons.

To my surprise, this past February, I went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to our family home and where mom lived, and I ran into “Nena” the neighbor at the local food market, and she soon told me the new trash rules: Organic was picked up every other day and regular trash, twice a week. I said; what do you mean organic? She replied, “now all food scraps are to be placed in a bag separately, no meat though” I was impressed, they will have plenty of natural compost made with those yummy mango, papaya and avocado scraps! She also added “your mom would have loved this” I smiled and agreed.

We care for the planet as much as you do. Green is Gorgeous!