Going Green in the Physician's Office

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• Making a few simple adjustments to office habits
  can cut down on overall energy consumption and
  improve your practices eco-footprint. Best of
  all, these tips may even help your business save
  money each month
• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Making
  this simple change means your practice will be
  using up to 80 less energy than incandescent
  bulbs.1
• Adjust the office thermostat. Keep heat low
  during the winter for every degree you lower
  your heat in the 60-degree to 70-degree range,
  you'll save up to 5 on monthly heating costs.2
  In the summer, save anywhere from 1-3 per
  degree, for each degree the thermostat is set
  above 72 degrees.3
• Monitor energy output on office equipment
• Use energy-saving settings on PCs in your office.
• Unplug other office equipment when its not in
  use.
• Ditch any old equipment in favor newer, more
  efficient hardware.

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• Ask your employees to carpool or find alternative
  transportation to work in order to limit carbon
  emissions on their way to the office
• Offer safe bicycle storage for employees who ride
  to work.
• Use a shared bulletin space or your company
  website to educate patients and staff about
  nearby public transportation options.
• Encourage ridesharing or start a commuter program.

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• These days, many practices are going paperless to
  reduce waste. Though most business needs can now
  be accessed online, such as insurance claims or
  patient records, check the tips below to see how
  else you can cut back on paper usage
• Set double-sided printing on the office printer.
• Request journals and other trade publications by
  email to limit snail mail.
• Refuse unnecessary packaging from pharmaceutical
  companies.

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• Does your practice have landscaping that requires
  regular maintenance? You can make a few easy
  changes to limit wasted resources. For example,
  planting drought-resistant foliage such as cacti
  or other succulents to save water and lower your
  bill each month. Also, talk to a gardener about
  integrated pesticide management strategies to
  help keep your landscaping both sustainable and
  looking its best.

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• Show your commitment to the environment by
  adopting a reusable textile program for
  laundering your offices medical uniforms, floor
  mats, towels, and mops. Look for a laundry chain,
  like Prudential Overall Supply, that uses less
  water and energy compared to home wash and
  disposables. Prudential Overall Supply is the
  first industrial laundry chain worldwide to earn
  Clean Green certification from TRSA (Textile
  Rental Service Association).
• To obtain certification, laundries like
  Prudential must document their efficiencies in
  water and energy use and deploy best practices
  such as
• Recovering heat from drained hot water and heat
  dispersed from warming water
• Recapturing and reusing drained water from rinse
  cycles
• Using environmentally-friendly detergents
• Removing solids and liquids from wastewater
• Implementing solar energy and energy-efficient
  lighting
• Rerouting trucks to save vehicle fuel
• Forming recycling programs
• Adopting spill prevention plans

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• Even your office supplies can be eco-friendly.
  Here are some green items to shop for during
  your next supply run
• Environmentally-friendly paper with high
  post-consumer content and chlorine-free bleach
• Certified office products, such as those approved
  by EcoLogo and Green Seal
• Environment-conscious medical equipment, like IV
  solution bags and intravenous tubing that are 100
  percent PVC and DEHP free

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• Conduct a water audit at your practice to see how
  much water is being used or wasted. This
  includes
• Checking for leaky faucets and installing
  low-flow faucets
• Monitoring how much water each toilet uses per
  flush
• Determining if your practice can go without hot
  water in certain areas
• Eliminating water coolers or bottled water and
  using tap water and a faucet or a pitcher filter

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• If youre planning to move your practice in the
  new year, or are pursuing an eco-overhaul of your
  current space, consider using low-toxicity
  materials on any renovations. This includes
• Floor materials like cork, hardwood, or linoleum
  (limit carpeting)
• Low-volatile organic compound paint
• Hardwood furniture, instead of particleboard or
  plywood which can emit formaldehyde

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• Family owned and operated since 1932, Prudential
  Overall Supply is a high-quality uniform and
  medical apparel rental company for businesses. In
  2012, they were the first industrial laundry
  chain worldwide to earn Clean Green certification
  from TRSA (Textile Rental Service Association).
• For more info about Prudential and their
  sustainable approach to reusable uniforms, call
  [phone] or visit http//www.prudentialunifo
  rms.com/.

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1. http//energy.gov/energysaver/articles/how-energy-
   efficient-light-bulbs-compare-traditional-incandes
   cents
2. http//www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/winter.ht
   ml
3. http//www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/summer.ht
   ml