MEMbEr PErsPEctivEs b y J a M i s o N s t o i k E

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