One consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic has been to reduce carbon emissions. The enforced changes of working from home, greatly reduced travel and curtailing of social lives have at least produced some benefit. Learning to work and meet in a virtual manner will alter our behaviour in the future. The bulk of CPD in this last year has been undertaken remotely. This month's virtual BSAVA Congress has pledged to be carbon neutral. Delegates to this and other conferences from all around the world will be able to attend without the time, cost and environmental impact that travelling to meetings brings.
The profession is definitely more aware of its environmental responsibilities. The RCVS, working with the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, has set up an Environment and Sustainability Working Party to consider the development of a formal policy in this area, both for the RCVS and in relation to the profession as a whole. BVA has an action plan for sustainability and the veterinary profession, particularly looking at responsible farming practices and food production. BSAVA has set up a working group on sustainability, to assess practices within the association and the small animal veterinary community.
With many companies pledging to become carbon neutral by dates ranging between 2030 and 2040, veterinary practice needs to become involved and see how we can reduce our impact. One major corporate, VetPartners, has appointed a sustainability manager to help the group reduce its environmental impact and oversee the social aspects of sustainability. Other groups have included sustainability in their strategy. Some areas of clinical practice generate large amounts of plastic and other waste: syringes, packaging, disposable drapes, gloves and aprons, to mention just some. There is a balance between reducing our impact and ensuring high levels of biosecurity, but we must find ways to achieve this. Vet Sustain has a greener practice working group and can help practices find ways to work with less environmental impact (www.vetsustain.org).
As vets we have to look beyond the headline-grabbing issues of carbon emissions, plastic use and waste production. We have a responsibility to ensure that the medications we use are not having adverse effects on the environment. Antibiotic stewardship is one area where we have made great strides. Awareness of the need to avoid indiscriminate antimicrobial use has increased, together with the appreciation that certain classes of antibiotics need to be reserved. Another area which has attracted debate recently is the use of potent parasiticides on a regular and routine basis. Should we be more aware of the environmental effects of the highly potent modern drugs we use to prevent both internal and external parasite infestations? In farm practice, it is understood that routine use of certain parasite treatments drastically reduces the population of dung beetles, to give one example. If they are affected, many other invertebrate species will be as well, impoverishing the environment. It is time to reassess our approach, and to research the ideal way to ensure the health of pets without causing adverse environmental effects.