Opened in December 2012, Ohana Pet Hospital is a full-service veterinary clinic that is committed to environmental sustainability and serving as a role model for small businesses. The hospital was constructed using green building materials including zero-emission paints, plant-based and Green Guard Indoor Air Quality Certified anti-microbial flooring and recycled content cabinet laminates, LED lighting, EPA-recommended insulation to maximize the HVAC system efficiency, and recycled glass reception counter tops. They also installed energy efficient appliances and air conditioning system, low flow toilets, and occupancy sensor switches. At Ohana, medical, financial, and human resources records are paperless due to the purchase of an efficient software system, tablet laptops, digital X-rays, Dropbox file sharing, and the use of direct deposit by all staff members. They established a recycling program for cardboard/paper/cans/plastic; purchase recycled-content office supplies; provide reusable tote bags to their clients; and donate Styrofoam™ boxes to a wildlife research facility. Their actions have resulted in a cost savings of over $10,000/year. Ohana also partnered with the City of Ventura, Community Memorial Health System, and Ventura County Medical Center in the “Blue Drapes Project” that redistributes the outer wraps of surgical equipment packs to other veterinary hospitals and diverts thousands of pounds of waste from landfills. They hosted a Ventura Chamber of Commerce Green Task Force “Best Green Practices” workshop to educate other medical facilities and small businesses and were awarded the Ventura County Climate Change Award in April 2013.
