Putting green into practice
The six doctors and one dentist who set up Greenwood Health in Motueka in 2008 committed from the beginning to running a green business. They have succeeded to an impressive degree.
The practice manager, Daniel Bulman, is dedicated to reducing the clinic’s greenhouse gas emissions and its energy and materials throughput.
He develops the policies, in discussion with the health practitioners. There is a charming ‘‘green monitor’’, Fi Johnstone, who ensures that the policies are implemented.
The clinic building was designed to minimise energy input, and to use no fossil fuels. A wood pellet burner, controlled with a timer, heats the building, with electric ceiling fans to blow the hot air towards the floor.
Cooling is built into the air flow design of the building. Water heating is solar, supplemented by electricity. Daylight is maximised. While the primary motivating factor in these measures is care for the environment, the clinic enjoys lower power bills as a result.
The clinic considers every possible way it can reduce the use of fossil fuel in transport. There is a bicycle rack for patients and a larger, covered rack for staff. Many of the staff, including several of the doctors, cycle considerable distances to get to work. There is a staff shower for those who do. Several of those who drive to work use electric or hybrid cars. Car use in the course of work is minimised.
More telephone consultations are done than previously, and patient portals allow for appointments to be booked and clinical queries to be submitted online. This reduces the need for patients to drive to the practice. Ride-sharing is encouraged to Nelson.
The use of paper is carefully monitored. (Paper contributes up to 7 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.) The clinic keeps electronic patient records and uses electronic communication when possible.
Staff are encouraged to minimise printing out documents and are asked to use both sides of paper. Each office has a tray for discarded paper which will go to be recycled after being shredded.
Clinic staff are attentive to the emissions profile of foods. Some of them eat little meat, or are vegetarian. The staff room is a pleasant sunny area looking on to a small garden. Rather than ornamental plants, there is a row of young fruit trees.
Clinic waste is thoughtfully dealt with. There is a comprehensive recycling system, convenient for staff to use. This includes a compost bin for organic waste. The use of plastic is minimized. There is a water fountain in the reception area; its paper cups are compostable. The use of plastic bottled water is almost nonexistent. Batteries in medical equipment are rechargeable. The polystyrene packaging of drugs received at the clinic is an unsolved problem.
The larger boxes usually are reused by staff in their homes or gardens. The ideal solution for the polystyrene pellets would be that they are returned to the sender for multiple reuse, and this has been raised with the suppliers.
Thought has been given to the cleaning products used in the clinic, including those to maintain an aseptic environment for medical procedures.
Asked what might be their further aspirations in shrinking their clinic footprint, Daniel Bulman and Fi Johnstone said they’d like to move further with non-toxic cleaning products, improving their recycling, and perhaps incentivising staff who come to work by foot or bicycle.
Greenwood Health has a written policy on caring for the environment. One paragraph, headed ‘Reducing consumption’, begins with ‘Staff are encouraged to ask themselves ‘‘is this necessary?’’ before using resources.’
Now there’s a radically transformative idea! This clinic is an inspiration to all, especially other businesses, in its climate action plan.
Joanna Santa Barbara is a retired psychiatrist and climate activist living in Motueka. Fifty Shades of Green is a column contributed through the Nelson Environment Centre.