Green Office

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Green Office
25 Joseph Street, Kitchener 99 Northfield Drive,
Waterloo 3742 Nafziger Road, Wellesley 73 King
Street West, Kitchener
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Green Team Members

• Physicians Neil Arya Heather Dixon
• Nurses Wende Bedarian (manager) Jen Fisher
• Allied Health Craig Bauman (Chiropractor)
• Admin Sylvia Decker
• Reception Debbie Watson

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Our Locations
25 Joseph Street
99 Northfield Drive
3742 Nafziger Road
73 King Street
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Our Guiding Principles

• Commitment to our Community
• Integrity and Respect
• Excellence in Patient Care, Teaching and Research
• Evidence based medicine
• Trans-disciplinary Collaboration
• Patient-centred Clinical Care
• Accountability and Responsibility
• Ecosystem Health

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Ecosystem Health

• Since opening the Centre in 2005, our Green
  Office Committee has been assisting staff and
  patients reduce the environmental impact of our
  family medicine practice through waste
  minimization, energy conservation and education.

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We currently

• Recycle cardboard, paper, plastic, cans and
  glass.
• Teleconference and video conference as a
  preferred method of meeting.
• Use re-usable items such as plates, cups,
  cutlery, cloth gowns, cloth towels, speculums,
  etc.
• Purchase green office supplies.
• Minimize electricity consumption where feasible.

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We want to

• Minimize more waste from its source.
• Encourage alternative transportation.
• Decrease heating and cooling emissions.
• Encourage investment in green funds.
• Educate other Family Health Teams about the
  benefits of a Green Office.

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Environmental Audit
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A Green Office is a Healthy Office
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Green Office Audit example
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Audit Matrix
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Items to Consider

• Transportation
• Building Exterior
• Building Interior
• Clinic Area
• Office Area
• Kitchen Area
• Washrooms
• Meetings Rooms
• Other

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Transportation
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Building Exterior

• Lawn Maintenance
• Snow and Ice Removal
• Idling Cars
• Exterior Lighting

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Lawn Maintenance - Suggestions

• Pesticide free
• Proper mowing height
• Aerated and over-seeded
• Watering policy
• Xeriscaping (using plants that require less
  water)
• Using native plants

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Snow and Ice Removal

• We have been advised that there is currently no
  real earth friendly salt method. Our patients
  safety is paramount so salt is still used when
  needed.

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Idling Cars
Signs should be placed at the buildings entrance
reminding people to turn off their car when
dropping off and picking up patients, or when
deliveries are being made.
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Building Interior

• Clinic Area
• Offices
• Kitchen
• Bathroom
• Overall

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Clinic Area

• Electronic patient charts
• Electronic lab reports
• Florescent lighting
• Cloth gowns and towels
• Table paper recycled
• Collection and proper disposal of medications
• Lights turned off in exam rooms not being used
• Use autoclave to sterilize re-usable equipment

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Clinic Area contd

• Computers and monitors turned off at end of day
• Ensure samples come in minimal packaging.
• Encourage drug companies to use the Smart Sample
  technology.
• No mercury thermometers
• Natural lighting

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Office Area

• Computers are set to sleep when not in use
• Computers and monitors are turned off at end of
  day
• Recycle toner and paper
• Purchase green office supplies
• Double sided printing where feasible
• Reuse paper as scratch pads
• Lights turned off in offices not in use
• Use rechargeable batteries where feasible

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Staff Kitchen Area

• Use fair trade coffee
• Limit use of bottled water
• Use energy efficient appliances
• Use re-usable plates, cups and cutlery
• Use non-bleached filters for coffee and tea
• Phosphate free laundry detergent
• Lint is cleaned out regularly from dryer
• Laundry is washed on warm/cold setting

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Staff Kitchen Area contd

• Paper products contain recycled content
• Buy in bulk to reduce packaging
• Small appliances are unplugged when not in use
• All cleaning supplies are earth friendly

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Washrooms

• Automatic room deodorizers are not used
• Paper products contain recycled content
• Hand towels are unbleached
• Green hand soap

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Overall

• Florescent lighting and energy saving light bulbs
• Recycle cardboard, paper, glass, cans, plastic
• Lights are turned off in area not in use
• Teleconference and video conference

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Other Suggestions

• Seek out green furniture
• E-post bills
• Get name removed from direct mail lists
• Invest in low flush toilets
• Water sensors
• Light sensors
• Invest in green funds
• Programmable HVAC systems to regulate heating and
  cooling

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Other Suggestions contd

• Purchase low VOC emitting products
• Review red bag and lab waste

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Discussion
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Next Steps

• Informing and Working with
• Staff
• Patients
• Trainees-Residents Students
• Improving Audit Parameters
• Research and Publication
• Green Goblin
• Influencing Community

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General Office Philosophy and Practice

• Eco-system approach to health creating healing
  environments that promote health and wellness
• Employees as partners, decision makers and
  ambassadors of our mission and values
• Integrated approach to medicine with the
  individual in a wider context viewing the
  individual as a whole human being with unique and
  diverse interdependent physical, spiritual,
  emotional and social needs
• Respect for the role of family, occupation,
  culture, community, ecosystem and spirituality
• Respectful of environmental sensitivities such as
  having no carpeting, being scent-free
• Community Responsibility Social Determinants of
  Health