Conservation Focused Dentistry
Dental professionals who reside in Alaska understand the importance of maintaining the Alaskan Wilderness, although not all practices are sure how to tackle such a vast task. There are small changes that can be made within a dental practice which are environmentally friendly and will create a positive impact upon the grand Alaskan Wilderness.
Keeping the area clean and planted
Ensuring that the area around the dental practice is clean and free of garbage is a necessity in keeping the entirety of the Alaskan Wilderness clean and healthy. When there is garbage outside of the practice, it can be blown or picked up by animals and makes its way into the wilderness. In addition to keeping the ground clean, the air can be kept clean by planting plants and trees. Plants and trees create oxygen which makes the air have less pollutants and makes it easier for lifeforms to breathe.
Reducing water waste
Dental offices use a staggering 57,000 gallons of water every single year. Reducing the amount of water used is essential in reserving clean water so that it can be allocated for other purposes. There are several ways in which dental professionals can reserve water within their practice, including using a dry vacuuming system when cleaning the mouths of patients. Water is a resource that is not always in an abundance, so using it sparsely and only when needed is a necessity is keeping the environment healthy.
Recycling
Recycling is a great and easy way in being environmentally friendly, especially in regards to the Alaskan Wilderness. Opting to recycle paper means that it will not end up in a land fill, but instead will be given back to the community for reuse instead of waste. Items in landfills can end up in the Alaskan Wilderness, which would cause detrimental harm to the wildlife. In addition to recycling paper, dental offices can recycle old equipment and machines to keep them out of landfills as well. Using recycled materials can also be beneficial to the environment.
Turning off equipment and lights
Despite the mass amount of machines and equipment that dental professionals use, they are not all usually in use at one time. Unplugging and turning off equipment that is not in is necessary in limiting greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are created when electricity is being used, and it is harmful to the Alaskan Wilderness. Whenever dentists leave their practice, they should make it a habit to turn off and unplug all equipment and lights in order to lower the amount of greenhouse gases and the amount on the electric bill.
Using alternative commuting
There are more ways to get to work than just driving alone in the car, and the other ways create significantly less damage to the air. When driving, the car omits carbon dioxide gases which are bad for the environment. Alternatives to driving alone to work including walking to work, biking to work, dog sled and carpooling to work with a coworker.
