What began five years ago as a small group of like-minded spa professionals sincerely committed to making the world a better place has since blossomed into one of the spa industry's leading grassroots environmental communities. Sharing the mission to bring sustainable operating practices to the burgeoning spa industry, the Green Spa Network (GSN) and its members are passionate about promoting the natural connections between personal well-being, economic sustainability, and the health of the planet.

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary (Freestone, CA) uses an environmentally responsible skincare line to complement the property's overall focus on nature.

The initial concept for GSN began five years ago when a group of spa leaders met to explore ways to encourage sustainability in the industry. Later that year, a group called Healing the Waters was formed and began meeting regularly to discuss ways to improve environmental responsibility among spas. In 2004, the International Spa Association (ISPA) established a Sustainability Taskforce that included many of the Healing the Waters members, bringing exposure to greening issues via conference speakers, trade magazine articles, and green listings on its website. Several members of the taskforce realized that greening within the industry needed pragmatic guidance to establish best practices through assessments and experienced supervision. Thus, GSN was formed and officially launched in spring 2007.

Mimicking Mother Nature's slow and steady ways, GSN gradually built a solid foundation grounded by a core group of 11 founding seed spas spanning North America. "A major goal of GSN is to be the communications hub for spa industry players who want to conduct their businesses in a more sustainable manner," says GSN managing director Erin Courtenay. "We are building the collaborative platform that will support a green transformation in the spa community."

GSN's philosophy for growth is to be inclusive rather than exclusive and to encourage fellow spas wherever they are in the process of developing a sustainable business. A spa with sincere intent to green its business will be given an opportunity to participate with "going green" status. Then it must show progress towards meeting benchmarks to become a full member, and the key is transparency. Every GSN member is required to post its achievements of the previous year and explain what it intends to do in the next year. Authenticity is what consumers want and GSN's goal is to have the actual greening work of all members visible. "We lead by example to encourage best practices rather than certifying, rating, or endorsing," says Courtenay. "This is a culture of merit more than metrics, where accomplishments are publicized and celebrated."

Less Is More

Most spas experience a typically demanding hospitality environment where there are so many guest and staff issues to handle daily that it seems impossible to add another item to the agenda. But, as daunting as it may seem, GSN's members know that we, as an industry, have reached a tipping point. Greening is no longer an option. It is an imperative to remaining a viable, competitive business. "The key is to start small," says GSN founding seed spa member and Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary (Freestone, CA) founder Michael Stusser. "It's important to feel good about what you are doing and not feel hopeless about what you are not yet doing. Intent is important."

Casitas at Rancho La Puerta (Tecate, Mexico) feature work by local artisans.

As part of their involvement in GSN, each of the founding seed spas committed to an in-depth environmental assessment and action plan that has helped them provide educational resources to other spas. "The more of us who embrace earth-friendly practices, the more supply and demand will make growing as a green business viable," says Karen Ray, spa director of The Bathhouse at Calistoga Ranch (Calistoga, CA), an Auberge Resorts property.

Here, learn more about GSN's founding members and discover what they are doing to help the eco-movement flourish.