Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Join the AVEDA Movement to Support Earth Month



As many of you know, every year AVEDA participates in an annual Earth Month Event for the month of April where we raise funds for environmentally focused organizations. In the last 10 years, the AVEDA network has raised more than $44 million to support such organizations.  Our passion for the planet and its wellbeing is serious business! We feel fortunate to live on Earth and to experience all the benefits it provides. 

As you may already know, at a New Beginning we have an annual Earth Month Raffle where Guests have the opportunity to win a $500 gift certificate to a New Beginning for services and/or products. What you may not know is that 100% of the proceeds go to Clean Water Fund, an organization that has made an enormous impact on preserving the cleanliness of local and national waterways. Clean Water Fund has helped “organizations and coalitions… improve environmental conditions, prevent or clean up health-threatening pollution in hundreds of communities and to strengthen policies locally and nationally”.

Image by Jess Fossum

The fact is that most of us are fortunate to have access to the clean and safe water we use daily. It can be easy to take this advantage for granted when water is generally very accessible. However, there are millions of people across the globe who suffer from limited water sources and poor sanitation standards.  According to the World Water Council, 1.1 billion people live without clean drinking water. Our bodies are about 80% water; if we cannot provide ourselves with sanitary water our health can be seriously compromised. The reality is that clean water is not the guarantee most of us think it is. Communities such as Flint, Michigan did not anticipate toxic water filtering through their kitchen faucet. Yet, that is the current status of their water supply. Can you imagine not being able to provide your family with safe drinking water? 

Clean Water Fund helps prevent such water disasters from reaching our neighborhoods and helps those who are already a part of that unfortunate statistic. You can make a true difference when you enter our Earth Month Raffle because again, 100% of the proceeds are supporting your clean water! 

Another component to our Earth Month Event is that once again we are selling the Light the Way Candles. One hundred percent of the money raised from this promotion goes to the Global Greengrants Fund, AVEDA’s global environmental partner. This is another AMAZING organization that allows for AVEDA to implement positive change internationally. They “give people, foundations, and responsible businesses the opportunity to invest in global grassroots change that honors people, livelihoods, and ecosystems equally”. The funds they receive reach a large venue of issues, from water conservation, to environmental health, to women’s rights and leadership. When you donate to Global Greengrants Fund you are truly helping all edges of this world. I do not know about you, but I think that is pretty powerful. 


Image by Jess Fossum
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the issues surrounding the environment, but the fact is that this is a very important subject that needs to be met with vitality. AVEDA and a New Beginning want to be part of the solution that protects the environment and we wish to bring aid to regions that need assistance. By teaming up with Clean Water Fund and Global Greengrants Fund, we get to fulfill that mission. You too can be a part of this effort. All you have to do is purchase an Earth Month ticket as part of our raffle and/or purchase a Light the Way Candle! 

If you want to do your own research, I have provided links below that will lead you to the websites of Clean Water Fund, Greengrants Fund, the World Water Council and AVEDA’s Earth Month page. I think that you will be just as amazed by these groups as I am! It is quite eye opening to read these articles and I feel that I gained a deeper understanding for the issues a New Beginning and AVEDA are fighting for. 

Thank you for all of your help! We look forward to seeing you soon!




Aveda Earth Month:
http://www.aveda.com/earthmonth/index.tmpl

Clean Water Fund:
"Publications." Clean Water Fund. 2014. Accessed April 4, 2016. http://www.cleanwaterfund.org/publications

Global Greengrants Fund:
"Aveda." Global Greengrants Fund. Accessed April 4, 2016. https://www.greengrants.org/about/our-community/special-partners/aveda-earth-month/

World Water Council:
"Water Crisis: Towards a Way to Improve the Situation." World Water Council. Accessed April 4, 2016. http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/library/archives/water-crisis/ 

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

A Hospitable Field Trip

Earlier in January, the Hospitality Team got to go on a field trip! Eight of us had the opportunity to travel to the Westfarms Mall up in West Hartford, Connecticut and visited the Aveda Experience Center. We had such a wonderful time; we almost decided to move in!

As many of you know, education is very important to us at a New Beginning. We believe that learning never ends and that we are at our best when we strive for more. A New Beginning frequently looks for opportunities, such as this field-trip, to further our education. As the wonderful Dr. Seuss wrote:

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” 

There are a handful of Aveda Experience Centers scattered throughout the United States and several other countries across the globe. Without being attached to a salon or spa, these Experience Centers focus singularly on Aveda products and the rituals attached to those products. Because of this concentration, the staff members at these establishments have a thorough and deep understanding of Aveda’s mission.

The Hospitality Team absolutely loved the experience we had. We got to meet the Westfarms Mall’s Aveda Experience Center’s manager, Tanya and her colleague Asha. They were so warm and so welcoming, we felt as though we were reuniting with family! Despite the aching cold we traveled on and were warmed up by their infectious friendliness. Starting with a cup of Aveda Comforting Tea, we felt right at home.

Once we had thawed, Tanya and Asha were able to guide us through several Aveda rituals. Typically, our job entails welcoming Guests, assisting them with organizing their appointments, and ensuring that they have a genuinely relaxing experience while under our care. So for us, it was incredibly indulgent to experience the rituals we enviously watch our Guests receive. When it came to demonstrating Aveda rituals, it was no challenge for Tanya or Asha to find a volunteer among us.

Carol was our first volunteer! Tanya led her through a deeply relaxing ritual using the Stress Fix product line. Combining the Stress Fix Soaking Salts and the Stress Fix Composition Oil, Tanya gave a hand massage that left the rest of us envious. Watching this routine, we could truly see the positive impact it had on Carol.  She appeared much more at ease and seemed free of any bodily tension. It was a great reminder that we have an opportunity to bring that level of relaxation to all of our Guests.

Regardless of the industry you are employed in, it is valuable to be re-educated on your focus of work. We, in Hospitality, love what we do and we want to ensure that we do not lose sight on the passion behind what we do. Going on trips like this one, not only prevents our work experience from becoming stale, but it helps remind us of how much we love Aveda and the values they so ardently espouse. At its core, Aveda is designed to bring well being to others. It was remarkable for us to see that these values can be consistently found at any Aveda location.

If you are in the West Hartford area we highly recommend visiting the Aveda Experience Center at the Westfarms Mall! Tanya and her crew are absolutely delightful and will help you find any product that you need and will ensure that you feel welcomed and relaxed while in their stay.


http://www.anbsalonspa.com/

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

New Year, New Lights!

As we watch our neighbors pull down the holiday lights from their houses, we at a New Beginning have begun to put up ours. We have teamed up with Greenleaf Energy Solutions to remove our old lighting with fixtures that significantly decrease our carbon footprint and promote environmental sustainability. This has been a very exciting opportunity for us and we are thrilled with the results and we hope you will be too!

Greenleaf is a remarkable company that helps both businesses and private households upgrade their lighting with more environmentally conscious solutions. Our lighting project will bring significant benefits to both our business and the environment. It is calculated that a New Beginning will, within a 15 year lifespan, avoid 680,849 pounds of Carbon Dioxide, 1,326 pounds of Nitrogen Oxides, and 2,653 pounds of Sulfur Dioxide emissions. This means that the new lighting will reduce air pollutants and therefore improve air quality.

Here is another way to look at these numbers. This project is equivalent to 330,509 pounds of coal not being burned, 84 acres of forestation added, 59 cars removed from road, and is equivalent to 37 homes being provided with electricity. The benefits are truly extraordinary and we are so grateful to Greenleaf Energy Solutions for helping us follow our mission to help our planet.

We at a New Beginning deeply care about the environment and want to make true and tangible efforts to promote “green” lifestyles. We are fortunate to be under the leadership of Aveda, which has successfully promoted eco-friendly solutions for businesses. From using 100% wind power for manufacturing to using organic ingredients in our products, Aveda is a true trailblazer. It is inspiring to work for a company that is not only passionate about the environment, but they continually act upon that passion.

“Our mission is to care for the world that we live in” and by using Greenleaf Energy Solutions, A New Beginning has made yet another step in achieving this goal. Protecting the earth is imperative and we hope that you feel the same way.

Share with us what kind of eco-friendly solutions you have in your homes. If you have any ideas on how to decrease our carbon footprints we want to hear about it!


Please view Greenleaf Energy Solution’s website for more information regarding their services: http://greenleafenergysolutions.net/