MEMbEr PErsPEctivEs b y J a M i s o N s t o i k E
Seegreen : Member Spas Go Green in Ways Big and Small
WHilE cENtEriNg a busiNEss oN ENviroNMENtal sustainability may be a new idea for most industries , spas have long understood the importance of “ going green .” While numerous companies today are pledging to increase sustainability in order to court eco-conscious millennials , spas continue to make environmental commitments largely because they view it as a moral imperative .
This month , Pulse talked to three ISPA members — Cavallo Point , Ojai Valley Inn & Spa and The Palms Hotel & Spa – Aveda Spa & Salon — about what they ’ ve done , and are currently doing , to go green , as well as any of the challenges they faced to do so .
from the ground up Since opening ten years ago , Cavallo Point in San Francisco ,
California , has built an international reputation as a top-notch resort . The resort occupies 17 buildings on the former site of Fort Baker ; it ’ s virtually underneath the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge . The area is now part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area .
In addition to its unbeatable location , Cavallo Point is also certified LEED Gold , indicating its foundational commitment to a sustainable facility . This certification is a relative rarity among spas — in the most recent ISPA Snapshot Survey on Environmental Sustainability , only 8 percent of respondents had obtained any LEED certification , much less LEED Gold .
To do so , Cavallo Point had to make going green a key piece of the resort and spa from the get-go . “ At the time of development , the property reused seventeen previously abandoned and deteriorated buildings ,” said Matt Turner , spa
despite renovating existing historic buildings , cavallo Point achieved lEEd gold certification .
26 PULSE ■ October 2018