I’m am passionate about health and wellness and that includes the health of our planet. Whether you understand the science behind global warming or just have a general feeling that our planet won’t have room for all the trash we create if we continue at this rate, it’s a good idea to find some simple ways to reduce your footprint on the earth and the environment. Although there are certain wastes that are inherent in a health clinic with impeccable hygiene standards—we must use disposable paper towels to dry our hands and single use disposable needles for our patients—I am always looking for ways to green up the office.
Here’s a few of the ways I’ve tried to make sure our office is low impact on the planet:
- Green business cards: The paper stock is made from 100% post-consumer waste, is FSC Certified, and is chlorine and acid free. And if that’s not enough, wind energy is used for manufacturing.
- Electronic Health Records: The office is not completely paperless yet…but we’re headed there. By keeping your records on the certified HIPAA computer system I’m avoiding creating piles of charts and paperwork. Coming up, the system will allow patient’s to fill out the initial patient health history online and we won’t even need paper for that.
- Less extraneous packaging for the needles: Besides being a requirement by the California Acupuncture Board, using single use disposable acupuncture needles for each patient is important for my patient’s health. While still keeping those high standards, I have chosen sterile packaged needles that use less extraneous plastic parts and packaging. Because all those little bits add up in the trash.
As the office grows, I’ll continue to look for ways to keep it green to support your health and the health of the planet.
