Plus-Hex CLINICAL
ABSTRACT Sustainability is a hot topic in the media , with all of us being encouraged to consider how we can reduce our impact on the planet and help slow climate change . With interventions needed on such a huge scale , the issue can seem overwhelming , but there a number of relatively simple and effective ways we can make a difference in our personal and professional lives . In this article , the author , who is a sustainability lead at a UK veterinary practice , shares his insights from the first year of the practice ' s sustainability journey .
Keywords sustainability , eco-friendly , environment , veterinary , practice
Introduction
Woodward Veterinary Practice in Ashby de la Zouch is part of the Linnaeus group and has a large client base across north-west Leicestershire and south Derbyshire . Linnaeus is committed to environmental sustainability and encourages its practices to reduce their impact on the environment . The group ' s sustainability team is particularly focused on climate change mitigation and resilience , waste reduction and responsible pharmaceutical stewardship .
Woodward Veterinary Practice embarked on its sustainability journey in early 2022 . I am a sustainability lead at the practice , with responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day implementation of its sustainability policy , in collaboration with my colleague Laura Nixon , RVN , and Ellie West , MRCVS , a clinical anaesthetist from Davies Veterinary Specialists who is the Linnaeus group environmental sustainability lead . I have worked at Woodward Veterinary Practice since 2017 , gradually progressing from the reception team to my current role as veterinary nurse ( VN ). It wasn ' t until I was approached by Ellie from Linnaeus Sustainability that I realised the scale of the environmental impact of our practice , let alone the thousands of veterinary practices across the UK and globally . I was inspired by Ellie to become a practice sustainability lead and started to look at ways our carbon footprint could be reduced .
Background
I have always been passionate about the environment , but it wasn ' t until I took a gap year that I really saw the effects of climate change and waste pollution . Before my employment at Woodward Veterinary Practice , I lived in Australia for a year and then travelled to Indonesia and the Philippines . While in Australia , I scuba dived on the Great Barrier Reef and , although it was breathtaking , there was a clear reduction in marine life and vast amounts of dead and bleached coral .
Coral bleaching is when corals appear white instead of their usual vibrant blues , reds and greens . They get these bright colours from microscopic algae called zooxanthellae , with which they share a symbiotic relationship that keeps both coral and algae alive . However , in oceans that are too hot or polluted , or in extremely low tides , the coral can become stressed and expel the algae . If the same conditions persist , the coral eventually dies and turns a white colour , hence the term ‘ bleaching ’ [ 1 ] . Global warming and rising sea temperatures are one of the leading causes .
Sadly , waste pollution was apparent throughout the Philippines and Indonesia . Plastic waste was present on every beach , it lined the streets and piled up in rivers and streams . I had never seen so much plastic waste . At that point , I didn ' t recognise that I was part of the problem , or that I could be part of the solution . However , I now know that by making small changes in our personal lives , as well as looking at how waste can be reduced in the workplace , we can all take a small but significant step towards a global reduction in plastic usage and waste .
Investors in the Environment
Improving sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of a veterinary practice can seem like a daunting task . Once you start , you can ' t help but notice how much energy , antibiotics and single-use plastics we use .
Linnaeus works in conjunction with an organisation called Investors in the Environment ( iiE ). This is an environmental accreditation scheme that helps businesses to reduce their environmental impact and gain recognition for their progress [ 2 ] .
There are three accreditations in the iiE scheme – Bronze , Silver and Green – and iiE supports the business in working towards its accreditation . One or more environmental leads are appointed in the business and an initial environmental policy is created , detailing various aspects of the business ' s environmental impact . In the first few months , data are collected on values such as electricity , water and gas consumption and waste production .
In Woodward Veterinary Practice ' s environmental audit , we collected 12 months ' worth of data , wherever possible , to provide a baseline with which to compare consecutive years . The resources we measured included gas , electricity , water and isoflurane usage , as well as clinical , general and recyclable waste production .
Using the 12 months of data , iiE produced a carbon footprint for the practice , which detailed our usage and revealed the resources that produced the highest levels of carbon emissions . Then we discussed and developed action plans through which we could make reductions across our resources , aiming for a 2 % minimum reduction for the following year .
Volume 38 ( 3 ) • June 2023
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