A sanctuary can be found at Jewell Day Spa, located on the busy hub that is Sixth Avenue (2501 Sixth Ave.). As you enter Jewell Day Spa, exquisite aromas beg you to pause. Immediately you begin to soak it all in.  Earthy tones, earthy textures, earthy scents ... it's just plain earthy and hip.

Owner Sonia Jewell has a reputation for being a passionate environmentalist. Jewell, as a featured speaker at January's Pecha Kucha event as part of Be Green South Sound/Tacoma Shift Happens, discussed the birth of a sustainably built spa and the green practices she employs in her local business. Spurred by sinus-inflicted health issues early in life, Jewell has done her research and is well schooled in environmentally responsible options that many of us would have never even considered. 

Being green goes beyond the usual recycling (which Jewell Day Spa practices) or using natural, organic products and eliminating and reducing the use of pesticides (which they also do). Far beyond.

And it begins the moment you walk into the spa. Original tile from what was once the Birkenstock store remains in the entryway. "Not my first choice," says Jewell, but it was a first step in reducing waste. Many of the door jambs that were in place before the spa moved in remain intact as well.

Old floorboards that had to be removed to upgrade the plumbing underneath have been artfully attached to the walls - something you may assume is strictly an accent to the ambiance, but can also be appreciated for the creative upcycling of material. 

Going even further, display shelves and fixtures at Jewell Day Spa were salvaged from the old Gottschalks. As the former chain department store was closing its doors and chucking stuff out, Jewell was there to pick up the pieces - literally.  Most of what she found was in perfectly good condition, she says, even if it needed a little love and care.

Throughout the spa you will find exquisite Chinese antiques adorning every room and hallway. These pieces were not chosen solely to add to the ambiance of the spa; as antiques they reduce carbon emissions and the manufacturing, shipping and consumption of new goods by, well, just being old goods ... recycled. 

If you're not getting the gist already, there's more. The majority of the flooring at Jewell Day Spa is made from sustainably harvested cork. Cork is made by debarking trees, rather than eliminating them altogether.

Bamboo can also be found as you weave your way through the sanctuary of bliss.  It is lovely and also a green option because bamboo sprouts new shoots each season.

The paint used is environmentally friendly (equally friendly to Jewell's sinus problems and likely anyone else's). And the towels are bamboo rather than cotton (an option I wasn't even aware existed!). These thick, soft towels do take a bit longer to dry, but growing and harvesting bamboo is primarily an organic practice that forgoes the use of pesticides. You can't really say that about most  cotton. Heck, even the slippers at Jewell Day are 100 percent recyclable.

Really, the lengths Sonia Jewell has gone to ensure an earth and urban marriage that encourages sustainability at its finest are quite impressive. Her bit of advice for those who strive to emulate the glory of going green? Research, look into your options (the Internet is a gem), be educated and don't worry that sustainable equates to a mishmash of shabby chic.

After all, just look at the place.

Jewell Day Spa

2501 Sixth Ave., Tacoma
253.572.5224