Linnaeus urges practices to ‘Paws and Turn Off’ as part of sustainability drive
A leading veterinary group is urging teams to ‘switch off’ as part of a determined sustainability drive.
Linnaeus, which has 44 primary care and 16 referral practices across the UK, has launched ‘Paws to Turn Off’, a campaign encouraging its practices to turn off unnecessary lights and air conditioning, with the aim of cutting down its annual electricity consumption by 14 per cent.
Linnaeus has also sent out 2,000 stickers as part of the campaign to its practices, which members of the team can place by switches to encourage and promote energy-saving behaviour.
The stickers are made from mineral and plant based ingredients. They are also PVC-free and made with a glue-free, water-based adhesive and are vegan-certified.
Ellie West, an RCVS and EBVS specialist in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia at Davies, is the environmental sustainability lead at Linnaeus and leading the Paws to Turn Off campaign.
She said: “From our energy audits in 2019, we know that across our practices, up to 60 per cent of electricity being used powers lighting and air conditioning.
“While we look forward to working with practices on exciting energy projects as part of our sustainability measures, we know this simple behavioural nudge can reduce electricity consumption by 14 per cent.
“Behavioural nudges are more successful if they are in people’s awareness; for example, in one study, when voters were asked whether they intended to vote, the probability of them voting increased by up to 25 per cent, which is why we have developed these sustainably-sourced stickers for our teams.”
Ellie West, a specialist veterinary anaesthetist at Davies, is environmental sustainability lead at Linnaeus and is spearheading a determined drive to lower the group’s carbon footprint
This campaign is the latest in a drive towards placing sustainability at the forefront of Linnaeus’s future plans.
Last year, Linnaeus was the first veterinary group to partner with the Investors in the Environment (iiE) accreditation scheme, with up to 50 per cent of its practices initially taking part in the programme, which was created to help business assets and reduce their environmental impacts.
Ellie said: “With environmental sustainability in veterinary practice, our future is in our hands. We can all do our bit by supporting good governance, educating our colleagues and clients and thinking about how we can change the way we practice, such as implementing lower-carbon anaesthesia.
“Linnaeus has a strong focus on quality of care and this extends to being a sustainable business and fulfilling our commitments to our clients, associates and communities.
“I am so excited to be part of this ambitious sustainability agenda, which will work to deliver a better future for everyone.”
For more information about Linnaeus and its sustainability aims, visit their website here or search for Linnaeus on Linkedin.
Read more articles on Linnaeus here.
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