Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Green Business topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Local stylist describes path to Green Business certification and waste reductions
Summary
At the March 11 Foster City Citizen Sustainability Advisory Committee meeting, salon owner Shilpi Goyal described converting her salon to a California Green Business and Green Circle Salon, detailing operational changes, monthly recycling costs, and pounds of material diverted from landfill.
Shilpi Goyal told the Foster City Citizen Sustainability Advisory Committee that she converted her salon into a certified green business after learning about the California Green Business Network and local Green Circle Salon program.
Goyal, who identified herself as the salon owner, described replacing chemical laundry supplies with eco-friendly products, switching to LED lighting, installing water-saving fixtures where possible and instituting a composting and detailed sorting system for salon waste. "You guys all know that I'm Shilpi Goyal, and, I have a salon which I have a business, which is a salon, and at this point, it's a green salon," she said during her presentation.
Goyal said she initially discarded two 33-gallon trash bags a day but has reduced that volume substantially through recycling and a monthly $165 Green Circle service that collects specialized waste for upcycling. She reported having sent 3,344 pounds of materials to the Green Circle program since July 2024 and 166 pounds in January–February 2026 alone. She explained the recurring $165 subscription covers packing and shipping to the recycling partner in Canada.
Committee members asked practical questions about renewal and employee buy-in. Goyal said the certification renews every five years and that staff have adapted to new routines: "As employer, I'm paying them, so they have to listen to me," she said, adding that many employees adopt some practices at home while others follow them in the salon only.
The committee discussed next steps for outreach: creating a short flyer about green-business steps, connecting interested local businesses with the county program contact, and highlighting certified businesses in CSAC communications. Staff said they would help connect businesses with the Green Business program and bring a flyer back to the committee.
The presentation closed with members thanking Goyal for practical examples the committee can use in future business outreach.
