Going green has always been a topic of conversation for years. For many people, living sustainable was an afterthought and just that, a conversation topic. Today, living sustainable and making green choices is an active part of most everyone’s lifestyles. We know now that recycling is not enough to help alleviate some of the damage. We must now shift from a reactive mindset and lifestyle to a proactive lifestyle. Let’s look at 5 ways you can go green at your clinic in 2022.

1) Eliminate Single Use Cups

The amount of single-use plastics used globally has tripled since the start of the pandemic, with takeout orders driving the increase. While this was a necessary evil, it’s not a sustainable model. In the US alone, we throw away over 50 billion coffee cups per year. What makes single use plastic cups so prevalent is the convenience. But when we can eliminate convenience as the only appeal and replace it with convenient sustainable options, it’s easy to make the green choice. Eliminating single use cups requires you and your staff to bring your own containers and reducing the amount of plastic being disposed of.

2) Use Recycled Printer Paper

Did you know that the average person uses 7 trees per year? Even though everything feels so digital, we still rely heavily on paper. Recycled printer paper is paper manufactured and produced from recycled products. Approximately 46 million tons of paper and paperboard were recycled in 2018. While we wish that we could be 100% digital, we still have to rely heavily on paper and paper-based products. Using recycled paper helps give new life to old paper and prevent the need for tearing down more trees.

3) Use Recyclable or Biodegradable Pens

Did you know that there are recyclable and biodegradable pens? We toss 1.6 billion plastic pens every year! These pens end up in landfills and often break down into microplastics. Recycling, as mentioned before, is not always as ‘easy’ as we think. 9 out of 10 people would recycle more if it were easier to both understand and do. Which, if you didn’t know, our traditional plastic pens are NOT always recyclable and certainly not biodegradable. Switch you physical therapy clinic’s pens to recyclable or biodegradable pens for an easy and simple eco friendly switch.

4) Turn Off Electronics and Lights When You Go Home

Might seem simple but forgetting to turn off the lights accounts for 1,000-2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emanating into the atmosphere. Turning off the lights also prevents 8-16 pounds of sulfur dioxide which causes acid rain. This simple but highly effective method to reducing your greenhouse emissions is one that’s often overlooked. Because it seems so simple and small, it’s hard to comprehend the profound effect it can have on the longterm health of our environment. If you and your staff are especially forgetful, switch to motion sensor lights which only activate when a room is in use and automatically shut off when no movement is detected. Perfect for busy PT clinics and offices.

5) Use EcoPro Pillow Covers

Throughout your career as a PT you will use the equivalent of 2 trees if you use paper pillow covers. Think washable pillow covers are better? Think again! A single, full time physical therapist wastes over 5200 gallons of water annually on laundering pillow cases. EcoPro pillow covers are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional cloth and paper pillow covers. Eco Pro pillow covers come in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. They’re great for physical therapists,  occupational therapists, dentists,  tattoo artists, acupuncturists, and anyone else who uses pillows to assist in increasing comfort levels. Shop EcoPro pillow covers at www.ecoproproductsllc.com and enjoy FREE SHIPPING on all domestic orders over $119.