Help protect the planet and reduce your carbon footprint with new tool

The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to make some positive changes. Reducing the carbon footprint of our veterinary practices is a great way to make a positive impact and help to protect the planet. Even just a small reduction can make a difference – and if we all made a small reduction to our carbon footprint, this would collectively have a big impact.

The first step to meaningful reduction is to accurately understand your practice’s current carbon footprint and this can be easily done using Vet Sustain’s new Veterinary Carbon Calculator. Built in collaboration with BVA, BSAVA, BVNA & SPVS, the tool was launched in November 2022 and is the first carbon calculator specifically tailored to the environmental impacts of veterinary practice. 

Getting an accurate measurement for 2022 can really help to commit to reduction for 2023. But we appreciate very few people have an in-depth knowledge of all things carbon – in fact, “where on earth do you even start?” is probably the first question most people will ask when considering measuring the carbon footprint of their practice. 

Thankfully, the Veterinary Carbon Calculator comes with lots of practical guidance - so although it may be a bit daunting at first, there is plenty of practical help available.

How does the Veterinary Carbon Calculator work?

The calculator breaks down carbon emissions into five key areas of practice activity; energy, travel, waste, refrigerants, and anaesthetic gases, therefore allowing you to identify areas of high use. If you are not sure where to find all of the information you need to input into the calculator, there is a handy guide that explains where you are likely to be able to access the information as well as a data collection checklist. 

Once you have the results, there is an information sheet that talks you through what they mean, as well as a “what to do next” guide that will help you to focus on how to make reductions. 

Gaining your 2022 calculation for your practice will mean that you can benchmark your progress and track your improvements by repeating the calculation each year.  Tracking and benchmarking your results can also help to show the areas where you have made lots of progress and identify those that need a bit more attention.  It can also help to motivate and bring the team together to determine targets, to see how their actions make an impact on the practice carbon footprint as well as celebrating successful reductions.

Not only will it show a commitment to sustainability within your practice teams but sharing plans for carbon reduction with clients is also a great way to inspire them. Clients are often keen to understand the environmental impact of the businesses that they use and most importantly to understand the positive changes businesses are making. Be proud that you are on a carbon reduction journey and share this with your clients. Being consciously aware of energy and resource usage and then reducing them may also decrease costs and at the same time can lead to innovative ways of working that can have other positive benefits.

BVA members: login to get 33% off

Don’t forget that if you are a member of BVA, BVNA, BSAVA or SPVS, you get 33% off the cost of the Veterinary Carbon Calculator using the relevant member discount code, making it just £100+VAT. BVA members can find the BVA discount code in the My discounts area of the BVA member portal.