Interview with a small business owner- Eco Salon and Spa

I think it’s great when I come across a small business owner doing good things for the environment. Not because of regulations, but because it’s the right thing to do. Kristina Green, owner of Eco Salon and Spa has discovered that a little environmental stewardship can go a long way.

Tell me about your business.

Eco Salon and Spa is a full service salon/ spa with an upscale atmosphere @ an affordable price.

Even the name of your salon reinforces your commitment to the environment. As a small business owner what prompted you to go green?

I feel that no matter how small, every effort counts. I love and appreciate the beauty of our planet. A journey of many miles begins with a single step. Together, small business owners can have a positive impact on our environment.

Your website mentions that your 5-year goal is to become completely Eco-Friendly. That’s a pretty commendable goal. How do you plan to accomplish this?

Our 5 year goal: We are continuously looking for ways to improve our environmental contributions. Our plan includes eliminating paper magazines in the salon by replacing them with tablets (like the Kindle), Adding an in house filtration system that would allow us to conserve water use, and partnering with our vendors to host events that will raise awareness.
What challenges have you faced in finding eco-friendly hair and skin care products?

Finding eco friendly skin and hair products hasn’t been as challenging as it may seem. Many manufacturers are aware of the evolving mindset of the average consumer, and they are developing products to fill the desires of these consumers. All of our products are not completely organic, however, they are all environmentally conscious. The packaging is able to be recycled and none of the products are tested on animals.

Have you always been eco-conscious, for example do you recycle/compost at home?

I have not always been eco-conscious. Over the years I have grown to appreciate the beauty of our planet. I have realized that small efforts can make a big difference. I have children now and I would like to leave a healthy planet for them and their children to enjoy. I do recycle at home, but no compost. Not yet.

What type of feedback have you been receiving from your customers regarding your environmentally themed salon? How do you involve your clients in reaching your goals?

My clients love that we are concerned about the environment. We involve them with our recycle program. We sell an organic oil that is a part of our regimen. All of our clients have this oil and must cover their hair with it prior to their appointments @ the salon. The bottles that we use to package the oil costs us about .25 each, but if our clients return the bottles for refills instead of purchasing new ones, we give them a $1.00 off discount.

Change is not always easy….or convenient….what tips do you have for other companies that would like to “go green” ?

My advice to other companies is to start small. Make small changes that you know you can be consistent with. Once you make the small change a habit, move to the next change.

How has going green improved your business?

Going green has improved my business, because people like to support those who take responsibility for the planet. People like to support good causes. My customers are proud to say that they are a part of our movement.

Anything you would like to add?
I would just like to add a thank you to you, for taking the time to focus on our company. Thank you for caring about the planet, and thank you for highlighting our efforts.

Read more of Kristina’s Story at EcoSalonandSpas.com and remember If you know of a small business owner doing great things for the environment contact the Office of Sustainability. We’d love to share their story!

Interview with a small business owner

I think it’s great when I come across a small business owner that is doing good things for the environment. In a paper driven industry, Liz Thomas has found a way to “go green.” Although the changes were prompted by necessity, her business has flourished and customers are happier.

I have always hated the amount of paper accumulated in the tax preparation process. But more and more I find that employers (including LIFE) are providing employees with electronic W-2’s and electronic filing with the IRS is easier than ever. My goal this year is to have a paperless tax return. Through scanning and email I’ll try to see if I can do everything electronically. Wish me luck!

If you know of a small business owner doing great things for the environment contact the Office of Sustainability. We’d love to share their story!

 Tell me about your business:

Thomas Tax Management Service is an online tax service for individuals and small business. I started the business inCaliforniain 1987 after owing the IRS a large sum of money due to an inexperienced tax preparation services I used.  I have clients all over theUnited States, many that I have never met face to face. I advertise very little so my business feeds on referrals.

This year Thomas Tax Management Service has gone paper free. Tax preparation has traditionally been a very paper laden industry….as a small business owner what prompted you to go green? 

Thanks to modern technology, Thomas Tax management Services (TTMS )went paper free in 2011.  I have been gradually taking the business to less and less paper over the past 4 years. A move toNorth Carolinain 2006 had me considering closing my small tax business, since my clientele was inCalifornia. When I realized that 90% of myCaliforniaclients were more than willing to “snail mail” and email me their tax documents, I decided to keep the business open. Since then myNorth Carolina,South CarolinaandGeorgiaclientele has grown as well as myCaliforniabase. For the local clients, I may meet with them initially face to face, with the majority of their documentation being sent to me via email. For clients that are too far to meet with, a consultation is done on the phone, a tax organizer is sent to the clients (via email), and then all the info is returned to me completed with tax documents (via email).

With the IRS encouraging taxpayers to file electronically and in some case making the practice mandatory, my paper usage was cut down by 65%.  I am able to file a tax return electronically and send a copy to clients via email.  So not only is going green helping the environment, I am saving money on paper, printer ink, and postage. This past tax year a few of my clients insisted on filing paper returns, so I updated my fee schedule to include e-filing in the price of preparation. . .  so for the first time since 1987 all 100% of my clients filed electronically.

What challenges did you face in making the transition to be “paper-free”?

Very few challenges were faced outside of clients wanting paper returns. It’s been a win-win situation over all.

Have you always been eco-conscious, for example do you recycle/compost at home? 

I have become more eco conscious since moving toNorth Carolina. . . While inCaliforniaI can’t say that I did much recycling.

What type of feedback have you been receiving from your customers?

Many times customers don’t comment on how smooth a process is (it’s almost expected). . . my customer base continues to grow, so I take that as my feedback. . . all positive.

Change is not always easy….or convenient….what tips do you have for other companies that would like to “go green”?

Many times change equates to spending money. . . I think if small changes are considered first, many times you will find you are saving money.

Do you have plans to implement other “eco-friendly” policies? 

I’m looking into seeing what else I can do as an internet business

How has going green improved your business? 

I have been able to save money in regards to postage, paper and printer ink.

LIFE students respond to BP case study

The President’s Climate Commitment requires LIFE to make sustainability a part of the curriculum  for all students. A great example of LIFE fulfilling its commitment is in Wanda Benjamin’s Ethics in Business and Technology (BSN 201) class. Students in this class were asked to read and comment on a case study titled “BP (Beyond Petroleum) Focuses on Sustainability.” I have included responses from some of LIFE’s future business leaders.

 “BP (Beyond Petroleum) Focuses on Sustainability”

 The case study provided a history of the company, delves into controversies regarding business practices, environmental damage and hazards to workers. The article also talks about BP’s efforts to improve its image and manage decisions related to ethics and social responsibility.

After reading the case study the students were asked to propose solutions to BP’s dilemmas and to give a rationale for their recommendations. Joy Weaver, summed up the assignment with this question.  “Prior to the oil spill, BP was doing a great job at improving its image and the impacts of these efforts were being felt everywhere. So what should BP do now seeing as its image is back for public scrutiny again?

Here is what some of the students had to say……

• “Having a department or outside party inspect to verify upkeep and maintenance is being followed [will] help ensure that employees are accountable and do not neglect or ignore early signs. Transparency will [ensure] that the company is really trying to redeem themselves and have nothing to hide.” Benita Jackson

 

• “Good publicity is only going to help BP as they strive for a new image and continue to become environmentally friendly. It also helps out all the stakeholders as well. Good media shows the stakeholders that what they are invested in is improving the world and not destroying it.” Ben Mateialona

 

• “I think that BP’s efforts on renewable energy as well as its establishing a Code of Conduct are the first steps in the right direction. It is very hard for a company whose main business is drilling and extraction of fuel to truly gain a totally positive view from consumers; however its efforts to educate people on going green will greatly help.” Megan Page

 

• “It just seems to me that BP has repeated the same mistake time and time again for instance, “The twenty-first century found stakeholders more wary of companies, especially after decades of repeated violations and misconduct on the part of the oil industry.” …..So it seems apparent to me that if they just retrain their organization to abide more ethically by the leadership of upper executives that BP can prove to be sustainable.” De’Aires Peterson

 

• “Upper Management should lead their employees by setting an example and making ethical decisions at all times. Peter F. Druker says, “Management is doing things right and leadership is doing the right thing.” BP should continue to show environmental stewardship and continue to make society more sustainable. BP should have a plan in place to fix oil leaks and they should act with a [sense] of urgency. BP should always make their stakeholders their first priority.” Christina Thornton

 

• Community presence, BP should not just commit to the occurrence of future problems but create a sense of belonging within the communities where it has the drilling sites. Just like it did during its inception in founding a hospital, Abaden, for its employees, BP should look for more opportunities to work with the local communities.” Joy Weaver

 

The Office of Sustainability would like to thank Wanda Benjamin and the entire class for their hard work and for allowing their work to be shared with our readers. Personally I was impressed and enlightened by their responses. What a great way to incorporate sustainability into the classroom!

Which companies top the list of green businesses?

Newsweek has partnered with environmental research organizations to rank the “greenness” of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the US.  The research included a comparison of the environmental footprints, policies and reputations of each company.

Each score was composed of three categories: the Environmental Impact score (45%), Green Policies score (45%)  and the Reputation Survey score (10%). Without getting into the hundreds of complicated formulas and metrics involved in the methodology of determining the rankings…here are the Top 20 companies and the rankings of some other popular companies. You can view the full list at Newsweek.

I have to say I was most disappointed by Whole Foods ranking and most surprised by Sprint Nextel. I expected that 8 of the top 10 companies would be from the technology industry, but was shocked to see Johnson & Johnson, a pharmaceuticals company in the top 5.

 What do you think? Which company’s ranking surprises you? Which doesn’t?

#1	Dell	100.00
#2	Hewlett-Packard	99.32
#3	International Business Machines	99.20
#4	Johnson & Johnson	99.02
#5	Intel	97.57
#6	Sprint Nextel	94.98
#7	Adobe Systems	94.15
#8	Applied Material	92.67
#9	Yahoo!	92.67
#10	Nike	92.66
#11	Accenture	92.04
#12	Advanced Micro Devices	91.17
#13	Cisco Systems	91.07
#14	Johnson Controls	90.94
#15	Baxter International	90.59
#16	Eaton	90.54
#17	Briston-Myers Squibb	90.45
#18	Office Depot	90.14
#19	Allergan	90.02
#20	PG&E	88.64
And other big names…..
#29	Microsoft	86.84
#33	Starbucks	86.65
#36	Google	86.25
#41	Wells Fargo	84.63
#43	Motorola	84.52
#51	Walmart	82.94
#61	Target	81.91
#62	UPS	81.83
#79	McDonald’s	80.28
#83	General Electric	80.10
#93	Whole Foods	79.31
#98	eBay	78.87
#99	Verizon	78.86
#124	Bank of America	76.94
#136	Kroger	76.70
#234	Delta Airlines	71.25
#285	Washington Post	68.98
#286	Time Warner Cable	68.93

Thanks to Mother Nature Network  for bringing this article to our attention.

Source: Newsweek.com

Green Business Works

GreenBusiness WORKS is an organization dedicated to creating awareness and providing education to businesses and industry regarding corporate sustainability.

-They are looking for volunteers for the GreenBusiness Works Expo on Tuesday Oct. 26 through Thursday, Oct. 28 at the Cobb Galleria. Volunteers are needed from  6:30 am til 7: 30 pm on Tues. and Wed. and until 2 pm on Thursday. Positions include Registration/ Check-in, Security (checking credentials) and Human Arrows (giving directions).  If you are interested please contact Morgan J. Parker, 404.934.9868, morgan.j.parker@gmail.com.  

As an added bonus volunteers are welcome to attend the Expo free of charge on the day they are signed up to volunteer with a minimum commitment of 2 hours. Lunch will also be provided to all volunteers on the day they work.

This looks like a great opportunity for students and faculty in our business department. Attendees will learn from leading experts through exclusive educational programs, networking opportunities, best practices, leading case studies, and products and services that support corporate and municipal environmental stewardship.

To view the schedule of events check out the Green Business Works Expo website.  I look forward to seeing you there.