Going Green

March 9, 2008

Green isn’t just for St. Paddy’s Day anymore. In fact, green is the universal color for an eco-friendly, environmentally conscious lifestyle. And April 22, Earth Day, is a day we use as a rally point for cleaner ecological living.

In our profession, a premier green milestone is coming up at the end of this year, when inhalers must be free of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The reason CFCs are being phased out is because they have a detrimental effect on the earth’s ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (January 1989) set a timetable for the elimination of CFC’s in inhalers. This began a search for propellants that could be used as alternations and have less of an effect on the environment.

As a result, HFAs (hydrofluoroalkanes) have become more common as the propellent used in MDIs. This is a safe and effective alternative, but clinicians do have to be aware of differences in characteristics between the two propellents.

Luckily the AARC has a fantastic resource tool to help you understand the differences between CFC-MDIs and HFA-MDIs. A booklet developed last year thoroughly reviews all aspects of aerosol delivery devices, including a good review of CFCs and HFAs beginning on page 18. (You can also get 4 hours of CRCE credit by reading the booklet and taking a test on its contents. See details about this free member benefit.

But there’s lot more to being green. Small changes in our lives can reap big benefits for our world.

So we want to know: are you more conscious of the choices you make in your daily life? Are you better prepared to reduce, recycle, and reuse? If so, tell us what changes you’re making on the job and in your homes to be a better Green Citizen on planet Earth.

We’ll print some of the best ideas on Earth Day 2008. So watch for your name and green tip in a future posting on our website.