1. Use sheets, towels and robes made with natural fiber cloths and fabrics: Organic cotton is very common, but you can also choose from bamboo, soy, modal (cellulose fiber made from beech trees) and silk blends.

2. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products: Be sure your cleaning products have no chemical scents and are biodegradable.

3. Offer organic products: Give your customers organic product options both in their treatments and in the retail products you offer.

4. Take advantage of new body treatments that require little water usage: If you want to incorporate body treatments into your massage, you can go green and conserve water usage. New body treatment products on the market today enable you to offer traditionally wet room treatments in a dry environment. The products remove easily with a warm, damp cloth in one or two passes, so you reduce your water consumption.

5. Incorporate energy-efficient lighting: The government is moving to make us all more efficient in our lighting usage. New efficiency standards under the 2007 Energy Act will render most incandescent

bulbs unmarketable by 2014. New energy-efficient compact-fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs may be more expensive, but they use 75 percent less energy and each lasts as long as 10 incandescent bulbs.

6. Eliminate plastic water bottles: Although many plastic bottles can be recycled, millions end up in landfills. Furthermore, they do not break down naturally and they release harmful chemicals when they decompose. Offer your clients filtered water in reusable cups or glasses.

7. Reduce paper usage or go paper-free: Everyone is online these days, especially with the popularity of social media. Put client files online and e-mail appointment reminders. If you provide gift certificates, make them available online.

8. Recycle: Recycle and use recycled materials whenever possible.

Jean Shea is the founder and CEO of BIOTONE, a manufacturer of professional massage oils, crèmes, lotions and gels, as well as spa body-and-facial treatment products. Shea founded the company in 1980 and today continues to help create and manufacture all of the company’s formulas.

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