Climate Care
Program

Vets for a Greener World

Leading the Change

Greater Springfield Vets recognise that climate change represents an immediate threat to all life on planet earth. As it effects wildlife and domestic animals as well as humans, climate change is a significant animal health and welfare issue.

Our owner Jeannet Kessels founded Vets for Climate Action in 2019, to give the industry a platform to advocate for action on climate change and to educate pet owners on the impacts of climate change on their pets and other animals. You can find more information on VFCA and the amazing work the organisation does here https://www.vfca.org.au/.

Reducing emissions is crucial – GSVETS has installed solar at Redbank Plains and Springfield hospitals, has an electric vehicle charging station at Springfield (free for clients), has implemented safe, adjusted anaesthetic protocols to reduce isoflurane use, and purchases only renewable energy. A journey of constant emissions reduction.

Launching the Program

In mid 2022 we started the Vets for Climate Action Climate Care program. The program consists of a series of six modules tackling different ways we can reduce our carbon emissions, cut the amount of waste we generate and reduce our consumption of precious resources such as water.

We have a dedicated group of staff that make up our Climate Care team; they work hard to implement sustainable practices within GSVets, engage with the veterinary community to promote environmental awareness, and drive positive change within the veterinary industry and beyond.

The Climate Care Program

GSVETS has completed the Climate Care program – six modules to reduce our carbon emissions, cut waste and reduce our consumption of precious resources such as water.

Our dedicated Climate Care team work hard to implement sustainable practices, engage with the veterinary community to promote environmental awareness, and drive positive change within the veterinary industry and beyond.

Module 1 – Water for Life

In 2022 we completed the first 2 modules: Water for Life and No Time to Waste.

Through the Water for life module we reduced our water consumption by an amazing 30%! Changes made included:

Fitting flow restrictors to drastically reduce the volume of water coming from out taps.
Checking for leaking pipes and taps and repairing these as needed.
Setting new protocols to reduce the amount of water used in surgery – both while vets are scrubbing to become sterile, and in cleaning our instruments.
Getting the water tank at our new Springfield hospital up and running.
Watering our gardens in the early morning or evening only.
Changing the way that we use bedding to reduce our laundry.

Module 2 – No Time to Waste

The Waste module focused on reducing waste createdeg from single use products and diverting from landfill through increasing waste streams.Current waste streams are;

Carboard recycling
Co-mingled recycling
Drinks container collection (donated to the charity Down to Earth)
Food and organic waste
Battery and ink cartridge recycling
Soft plastics recycling at our main hospital at Augustine Heights.
Fur from our grooming hub at Springfield is used to mop up oil spills.

Get involved!

Please support these recycling programs available to our clients;

Royal Canin Food packaging recycling program: see our collection bins for the return of Royal Canin and Eukanuba food bags and pouches.
Return your medication dispensing bottles to our clinic collection points and we will sterilise and reuse
Our grooming salon produces an abundance of pet hair, a great addition to compost or worm farms – hair is a great source of nitrogen for plant growth. If you would like to collect pet fur, please email climatecare@gsvets.com.au

By reducing our resource usage and diverting waste from landfill we have reduced the amount of rubbish we produce by about 25%. How fantastic!