Standing up for the veterinary profession
08 Aug 2024
30 Jan 2023 | Gudrun Ravetz
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Looking to make a positive change to help protect the environment? In this blog, Gudrun Ravetz, Director and Chair of Vet Sustain and 萝莉视频 Past President, explains how the new Veterinary Carbon Calculator works and why it鈥檚 a brilliant way to start becoming more sustainable.
The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to make some positive changes. Reducing the carbon footprint of our veterinary practices is a great way to make a positive impact and help to protect the planet. Even just a small reduction can make a difference 鈥 and if we all made a small reduction to our carbon footprint, this would collectively have a big impact.
The first step to meaningful reduction is to accurately understand your practice鈥檚 current carbon footprint and this can be easily done using Vet Sustain鈥檚 new . Built in collaboration with 萝莉视频, BSAVA, BVNA & SPVS, the tool was launched in November 2022 and is the first carbon calculator specifically tailored to the environmental impacts of veterinary practice.聽
Getting an accurate measurement for 2022 can really help to commit to reduction for 2023. But we appreciate very few people have an in-depth knowledge of all things carbon 鈥 in fact, 鈥渨here on earth do you even start?鈥 is probably the first question most people will ask when considering measuring the carbon footprint of their practice.聽
Thankfully, the comes with lots of practical guidance - so although it may be a bit daunting at first, there is plenty of practical help available.
The calculator breaks down carbon emissions into five key areas of practice activity; energy, travel, waste, refrigerants, and anaesthetic gases, therefore allowing you to identify areas of high use. If you are not sure where to find all of the information you need to input into the calculator, there is a handy guide that explains where you are likely to be able to access the information as well as a data collection checklist.聽
Once you have the results, there is an information sheet that talks you through what they mean, as well as a 鈥渨hat to do next鈥 guide that will help you to focus on how to make reductions.聽
Gaining your 2022 calculation for your practice will mean that you can benchmark your progress and track your improvements by repeating the calculation each year.聽 Tracking and benchmarking your results can also help to show the areas where you have made lots of progress and identify those that need a bit more attention.聽 It can also help to motivate and bring the team together to determine targets, to see how their actions make an impact on the practice carbon footprint as well as celebrating successful reductions.
Not only will it show a commitment to sustainability within your practice teams but sharing plans for carbon reduction with clients is also a great way to inspire them. Clients are often keen to understand the environmental impact of the businesses that they use and most importantly to understand the positive changes businesses are making. Be proud that you are on a carbon reduction journey and share this with your clients. Being consciously aware of energy and resource usage and then reducing them may also decrease costs and at the same time can lead to innovative ways of working that can have other positive benefits.
Don鈥檛 forget that if you are a member of 萝莉视频, BVNA, BSAVA or SPVS, you get 33% off the cost of the using the relevant member discount code, making it just 拢100+痴础罢. 萝莉视频 members can find the 萝莉视频 discount code in the area of the 萝莉视频 member portal.
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