Thinking Green Part 1

Simple changes can go a long way

If this is the year you and your practice plan to become more sustainable, read on…

This article, from ABDO’s Thinking Green campaign that works with you to make the optical world more sustainable, is the first in a new monthly series looking at practical tips to implement in practice.

Sustainability is an ongoing journey, whether you have been making small changes for some time or are just at the start. There is always something more that we can do to reduce our environmental impact.

This month, we look at sustainability activities for individuals, practices and businesses in the optical community.

Refuse: just say no

There are a number of key concepts to help you transition to a more sustainable practice (Figure 1). The first one is to refuse unnecessary items. On our sustainability journey, we can choose to refuse to accept or support products or companies that harm the environment.

Saying no to excess packaging is a great place to start. So this week, see which of your supplies are overpackaged or packaged in plastic. Start a conversation with your suppliers and ask them to cut their packaging. Look at items in your practice or business that are only used once too; think about alternatives and how you can say no to some of these items.

Reduce: energy and waste

The next concept is looking at how you can reduce the resources used in your practice or business (Figure 2). Start with small ways you can reduce energy usage, water usage and waste creation. Talk with your team about ways to reduce the resources you use.

Could everyone:
• Choose items with less packaging like solid soap rather than liquid soap?
• Turn off lights when not in the room?
• Switch to reusable packaging for packed lunches?
• Use refillable water bottles and flasks?

In the longer term, could you move towards:
• Going paperless for clinical records
• Going paperless for accounts and invoicing
• Reviewing your frame stock policy to avoid wastage
• Reviewing your sundry stock policy to reduce wastage

Reuse, refill, repair

Next, we focus on how to reuse, refill and repair: three great ways to minimise the resources used in your practice or business. Sustainability is a team effort so if you work in a practice or a business, start a conversation. You can have an informal chat or make sustainability part of your regular team meeting; ideas and activities that everyone can buy into are more likely to succeed.

Then consider:
• Reusing paper as scrap before shredding
• Swapping to rechargeable batteries
• Changing to refillable ink cartridges/toners next time you need them
• How to reuse boxes, bubble wrap and jiffy bags or give to others to reuse

Go solo for sustainability

Thanks for joining the Thinking Green campaign to make the optical world more sustainable. So far we have focused on activities you can do in a practice or business, but there is plenty to do if you work on your own too.

If you are a locum, or in another role where you work by yourself, quick wins for you to do during your working week include:
• Bringing your lunch in a reusable box or wrap rather than buying something prepackaged
• Changing the way you travel: can you walk, cycle or use public transport some days?
• Using a refillable water bottle or bringing your own travel mug if you love a take-out coffee

One of the most important things you can do is to be a sustainability advocate. If you move from practice to practice, you are well placed to help share ideas with different teams and get the conversation going about how to become more sustainable. You can also be a problem solver and share details of local schemes for recycling with practices who have yet to start. Help each place you work find one thing they can do to be more sustainable, and you will make a big difference.

What next?

This article includes some of the tips you will receive after completing ABDO’s Sustainability Self-assessment Tool. This is a great place to start your journey to a more sustainable practice in 2022. You can also opt in to get tips to your inbox each week.

We’d love to hear how you are getting on with your sustainability activities, so please do share on social media – using the hashtag #thinkinggreen – and let us know.

This article first appeared in the February 2022 issue of Dispensing Optics.

The series will continue on DO Online next month, looking at more ways to reuse, refill and repair.