Going green is the new black—and that’s especially true in the world of aesthetics.
Many cosmetic surgeons have already discovered how easy it is to make their practices more eco-friendly and share their tips and tricks with others in their industry.
Here are a few ideas I’ve found:
Upgrade Your Lighting
Looking at the energy consumption of doctors’ surgeries. It would help if you looked for the most energy-efficient option. Some come with a certification that makes sure your light bulbs are efficient and long-lasting, saving you money in both energy costs and bulb replacement costs.
There are loads of options on the market, so look for ones that use the least energy while still giving you the power needed in your practice.
Recycle
It’s one of the easiest things you can do to help the environment. Recycling plastic, glass, paper, and metal is one of the most important things you can do to fight climate change.
There are other ways you can recycle as well: re-use office supplies like pens and rulers; re-use printer cartridges.
Donate old computers to a local charity or school; re-use old phones by giving them away or selling them on Gumtree.
You can even use clothes as rags (make sure they’re clean first!).
Clean and Disinfect With Environmentally Friendly Products
Your practice needs to be clean, this goes for any medical area, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find environmentally-friendly alternatives.
- Use green cleaning products, microfiber cloths, and cleaning tools that don’t require water.
- Buy in bulk and refill bottles or use reusable dispensers to reduce the amount of plastic thrown out each year.
- Avoid using chemical-based cleaning products as much as possible because they can harm the environment when not disposed of properly.
Use Energy-Efficient Appliances
- Use appliances that are energy-efficient and certified. Using this type of appliance can save you money on your annual energy bill.
- Use appliances that are labelled eco-conscious when you replace them with new ones. If you’ve needed an upgrade, this is the perfect opportunity to make the swap.
Train Employees to Be Eco-Conscious
As an employer, you can be instrumental in helping your employees learn about and become more eco-conscious. Think of it as an opportunity to educate your workers about the environment.
You can create a fun annual event where employees get together for a day of learning about climate change and how we can all fight it.
You could also reward eco-conscious employees with something like a gift card or other prizes for their efforts.
Create an Energy Saving Plan and Stick To It
Ensure you know the wattage of all your appliances and turn off any that aren’t in use. This is especially important if you have a smart meter, which will tell you exactly how much power the device uses.
You can also set timers on lights around your practice, so they don’t stay on when no one’s home or after hours at night when there are no humans around.
Donate Extra Supplies and Materials to Upcycling Programs and Charities
If you’re a cosmetic surgeon, chances are that you have access to lots of unused medical supplies that could be put to good use in the world.
Aside from donating them directly to your local environment, consider giving them away through an organization like Operation Smile or Project Smile Foundation.
This way, you’ll be helping people who need reconstructive surgery but can’t afford it and doing so with materials that would otherwise go straight into landfills.
There Are Lots of Ways to Go Green at the Office!
The first step to going green at the office is reducing paper use. Use recycled paper whenever possible, and try to eliminate as much waste as possible by asking your employees not to print anything unless it is absolutely necessary.
Did you know that there’s free toner cartridge recycling? Toner cartridges contain toxic chemicals that must be disposed of properly when they’re done with their life cycle.
However, many people don’t realize that these cartridges can also be recycled or re-used instead of thrown away in the trash.
Conclusion
We hope this article has inspired you to make your office a more eco-friendly place.
Cosmetic surgery uses many materials; this is, after all, to ensure patients are getting the best care.
However, there are small changes you can make that will make a massive difference to your carbon footprint.
Yes, we want to make people look and feel their best but not at the expense of the beauty of the earth.
