Optometry Australia (OA) has commissioned a sustainability roadmap to target waste, carbon, and eco-awareness challenges within the optometry sector, and chart a new course towards a more sustainable future for eyecare.
Director of optometry advancement, Ms Sarah Davies, said this commitment was one the key objectives of OA’s 2021-24 shared strategic plan.
“Optometry Australia is committed to exploring and developing initiatives in response to emerging evidence on the impact of climate change, specifically on optometry and eye health,” Davies said.
“Australia’s health sector, including optometry, has a role in both climate change mitigation and adaptation, and in reducing its overall environmental impacts, which is why we partnered with sustainability agency Edge Impact to commission the sustainability roadmap.”
The roadmap identifies environmental targets and action issues that are important for the eye health sector, while drawing insights from a variety of resources, including extensive sector research, carbon footprint and waste audits, stakeholder interviews, focus groups and workshops.
The roadmap identifies three key environmental ‘hotspot’ areas within the optometry sector that need to be addressed, including waste, carbon and sustainability knowledge.
Practitioners, optometrists and consumers are said to face significant waste challenges, ranging from e-waste to packaging, and manufacturing waste. The roadmap identifies the need to minimise waste to landfill, improving circular solutions and designing out waste within the industry.
In response to the growing global concern of carbon emissions, OA’s roadmap addresses carbon intensity issues within the optometry sector. Proposed initiatives under this hotspot area include improving understanding, identifying reduction opportunities and addressing carbon intensity burdens.
Additionally, the roadmap highlights the lack of sustainability knowledge within the optometry sector. It recommends the profession support initiatives that empower optometrists and consumers to drive change and reduce environmental impacts.
To address these identified hotspots, the roadmap proposes four action levers for change:
1. Collaboration: Aim to work together with several different stakeholder groups (manufacturers, suppliers, optometrists, etc.) to establish circular design standards, create transparency and provide circular and recycling options.
2. Future-fit spaces: Creating future-fit spaces to improve waste, carbon and sustainability knowledge on a practice level, and design spaces for efficiency.
3. Proactive purchasing: Making proactive and informed purchasing decisions that integrate sustainability criteria is pivotal to reducing waste and emission within the supply chain and choosing better materials.
4. Engaged people: Empowering people to grow their knowledge of environmental sustainability.
Davies said the sustainability roadmap identifies areas for priority action for all stakeholders across optometry and community eye health.
“Optometry Australia will seek to collaborate with colleagues across the eye health sector, as well as those working in the broader climate action and health space such as the climate and health alliance, to ensure our work is aligned, and coordinated with other efforts,” she said.
More information about these initiatives will be shared with members via OA’s communication channels throughout 2024.
OA has also further engaged Edge Environment to support the development of practical resources that will support optometrists to take meaningful action within their individual practice environment.
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