Today is the 41st anniversary of Earth Day, an observance that is credited with launching the modern environmental movement, according to Earth Day Network. The nonprofit has been campaigning for a “Billion Acts of Green” since Earth Day last year. Acts of Green may include making a commitment to plant trees; clean up beaches and parks; set up community meetings on energy efficiency, sustainability and green economy issues; participate in large-scale light bulb changes; and take on workplace renewable energy retrofits; among other efforts. As of today, 102,022,550 Acts of Green have been logged at billionactsofgreen.org. The goal is to reach one billion Acts of Green before the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio in 2012. Veterinarians interested in learning how to make their practices more green can find a list of resources on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website. For example, the AVMA offers these options for integrating eco-friendly features into veterinary practices: • Reduce waste production and improve waste management. • Increase energy efficiency. • Improve water efficiency. • Reduce chemical product use and minimize toxins. The website also gives details on green veterinary practice success stories, such as Noah’s Animal Hospital in Indianapolis and Best Friends Veterinary Center in Grafton, Wis. Going green isn’t just the “in” thing; it’s everyone’s responsibility, according to the AVMA. Greening a practice not only provides the satisfaction of helping preserve the environment for future generations, it can also help the practice’s bottom line, the AVMA further noted. <Home>
