Recycling in the Office

"With frugality, there will be no lack; with extravagance, there's never enough." - Ben Franklin 1742

Healing the earth is as important today as healing our patients, even more important in the long run. Simple things can make a difference. While the media has created a nation of consumers, not creators, we can change that.

The following tips are practical, save money, are efficient, and are easy to do.

1. Large manila envelopes. Those large 10" x 12" and 8" x 11" envelopes that we use to send copies of files and large insurance bills can be recycled. Save the large envelopes that you get from advertisers, junk mail or other doctors. Tear of the old stamps. Place a 3" x 5" gummed name and address form (available from any office supply house) on the envelope and voila! you have an almost new, totally reusable envelope. This is true recycling. You don't have to melt down the envelope and remake it. Just use it several times.

    

2. X-ray tubes and envelopes. These can always be reused. The method is the same as above. Ship back x-rays in the same package that they come to you.

    

3. Plastic garbage bags. Make sure your staff or janitorial service uses these as many times as possible. It is ridiculous to use a bag once to put garbage into. This just creates more garbage.

    

4. Boxes from vitamin companies can be reused when you send vitamins to your patients.

    

5. Paper clips and rubber bands can be garnered from the mail everyday. I haven't bought rubber bands or paper clips in years.

    

6. Give the magazines in waiting room to libraries or retirement homes. Give your old books to libraries or the Salvation Army.

    

7. For patients who come in infrequently use the same appointment card several times. No reason to give a new one every time they come.

    

8. Save paper and plastic bags from the grocery store, the shopping centers, etc. These then can be used for your patients when they need a bag for their supplements, herbs, or vitamins.

    

9. When photocopying use both sides of the copy paper.

    

10. Old forms, letterhead and dated paper supplies can be donated to day care and elementary schools for use as scratch or drawing paper.

     

11. The large paper wrappers that surround some full spine x-ray films also can be given to day care and elementary schools for finger painting or drawing. This is also true for large pieces or cardboard found in these and other x-ray film boxes.

     

12. Use the same for kids to draw on while they are in your office.

Make recycling fun! You must be a leader in the community if the planet is to be saved. No small effort goes unappreciated by our Mother.

Tim Perdian, DC
Oakland, California