A local hair salon is leading the way in sustainability and calling for others to follow her lead.
Edge Hairdressing owner Samijo Cranney said when she bought the salon in 2019 protecting the environment and being sustainable were the first things on her mind.
After doing much research Samijo joined not for profit organisation Sustainable Salons Australia.
They offer education and a resource recovery program, diverting up to 95 per cent of salon materials from landfill to repurpose it.
Samijo has embraced their program, which also means collecting $3 from each client to donate to OzHarvest.
“Hairdressing has lots of waste and I feel we are one of the main companies that can help reduce the waste,” she explained.
“Being a sustainable salon means everything to me because it aligns so deeply with who I am, not just as a business owner, but as a person.
“The reality is our industry can produce a lot of waste, and I made a conscious decision that I didn’t want to contribute to that without taking responsibility.
“For me sustainability isn’t a box we tick, it’s a commitment we live by every day.”
She said although they are part of a small community, they are trying to make a huge impact, and this includes taking in local’s empty shampoo and conditioner bottles to be recycled.
“As a business owner I want to stand out on the mountain in terms of doing my bit for the planet,” Samijo said.
All the salon’s hair clippings are put into bins and sent off to be used as booms to soak up oil spills in the oceans and creeks, compost and even bricks and the research into its uses is ongoing.
Edge Hairdressing also uses Ecohead heads on their taps which reduces the water used and prevents the chemicals going into the septic system.
“Being on the mountain and having tank water and a septic, I was conscious of what products I should be using,” Samijo said.
“We have chemical bins which also get sent to Sustainable Salons which spin them and the councils use the filtered water for grey water.”
She has previously talked with other salons, barbers and dog groomers on the mountain to encourage them to join Sustainable Salons and hopes to try again in the near future.
“True beauty shouldn’t come across at the cost of the environment,” Samijo reiterated.
