“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live”. As a health center we fully support this wise advice, and have gone one step further: “Take care of our planet. It’s the only place we have to live.”

At Ravenswood Family Health Center we are doing everything possible to ensure that we play our part in preserving precious resources and avoiding pollution. Our waste is reduced and our actions promote a better environment for people who live in our community. After all, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat has a lot to do with staying healthy.

Our “Green Team” has taken the lead in promoting sound environmental practices at the clinic. Our first step was simple. We put paper recycling boxes under every desk and work station. That change took hold quickly. After six weeks we increased our recycling pick up from once to twice a week and reduced our trash container from 3 to 2 cubic yards.

The staff is proud to be a model for greater recycling efforts in the community. At the suggestion of staff members, we’ve switched to recycled paper, to double-sided photocopies whenever possible, and to e-mail to avoid wasting paper. We also use biodegradable plates and utensils at staff potlucks. All bottles and cans go into recycling containers, and we collect batteries to recycle.

Our next step in going green will be to reduce utility bills and consumption of energy, and to encourage bicycling to work by providing safe bike lockers.

It is exciting to see how simple changes can be adopted quickly. And it is gratifying to know that we are playing our part in improving the environment and future health of our community.

Margaret Allen