Alcohol

I am sure you are wondering about the title and why would this have anything to do with the topic of FutureFocusVet.  What has inspired this post is the Nigel Latta series currently running on Tuesday evenings on TV1.  Episode 3 inspired this blog.  You can watch episode 3 here.  And I would highly recommend it.  

Why am I blogging on it?

1. Students (as a group of society) are well known for over indulging in the drink.  But so are many professionals, so within any industry that you, our students, will be entering into - you may be exposed to it in the workplace too.  
2. Alcohol is a Class A drug - just like Tobacco but also other harder drugs 
3. Alcohol is a carcinogen, and no level is considered safe in terms of risk.  Every small bit increases risk.  
4. Cognitive function and productivity is affected by Alcohol.
5. New Zealand has a binge drinking culture.
6. So many families are affected by violence and other abuse fueled by alcohol.
7. The companies that produce alcohol are largely overseas corporates - yep, all those quintessentially NZ brands are owned by companies like Mitsubishi and Heinekin, so the profits go off shore.  
8. Advertising and sponsorship is still allowed by alcohol companies (unlike tobacco) including of sports teams.  Marketing is insidious and often targets underage drinkers, which gets them hooked.  
9. The costs of alcohol in NZ annually in terms of illness, car accidents and so on is thought to be approximately $5 billion - that is over $13 million per day.  Yes it is true that they put money into education - but compared to the costs to society, the investment in education is limited.

So as you can see above these are the drivers of change.  Continuing as we are is not sustainable.  The social and financial costs are too high.  There are also potential environmental costs too when we look at large tracks of land being put into a monoculture of grapes for example, not to mention the energy costs of making and recycling glass bottles and cans.  

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What does it look like when alcohol is sustainable?

We all know the truth -  Our money is going overseas when we buy most brands ijn New Zealand. Worse yet, alcohol causes cancer, and can even be linked to cancer at low levels of drinking. It kills off brain cells, and it wrecks families and friendships. So, what does it look like if we are sustainable consumers of alcohol?

1. Advertising for all alcohol is limited or even banned
2. Individuals choose to drink socially and responsibly - it becomes a stigma to binge drink and over indulge.  THis also reduces the waste stream produced.
3. Children are educated from a young age about the risks (as early as year 7 or 8) as parents cant be relied on to do this.
4. People buy locally produced alcohol to support our local economy and reduce energy use from transport overseas. 

If you drink, drink responsibly and understand the industry and consequences.  Definitely take some time out to watch the Nigel Latta series and consider getting your pre-teen children (and older) to watch it with you.  It will form a great opening for a conversation .  

Please feel free to post your comments, ideas and feedback.  We love to hear from you.  

Antibiotic resistance

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Antibiotic resistance is a hot topic at present and is one that is very relevant to sustainable practice.

Antibiotics need to be preserved for when they are really needed.  If we don't do this, we risk epidemic bacterial diseases, with nothing to fight them with. The impacts of this on our society and economy are huge. 

Many of us are already aware that all medical and veterinary professionals are being encouraged to prevent antibiotic overuse.  It is believed that the exponential growth of antibiotic resistant bugs is due to the overexposure of people and animals to antibiotics. This overexposure could develop from situations such as being prescribed antibiotics when they are not required. Exposure to antibiotic residues in food and water are also a serious concern as is only taking half the dose or not finishing the course prescribed. 

Things you should know

1. Antibiotics are not suitable for treating viruses so if you or your pet have a cold or flu virus (with no secondary bacterial infection), then supportive treatment like heeping well hydrated, resting and taking anti inflammatory medications are all that will be required. 
2. Most elective surgeries are sterile and can be completed without risk of secondary bacterial contamination - therefore routine use for every surgery should be reviewed by the the professional in charge.
3. In many cases antibiotics are prescribed by veterinary and medical professionals without real  evidence that they are required, or they may be used prophylactically in a situation that does not necessarily justify this practice.

Questions to ask yourself?

• Have you ever insisted on antibiotics for yourself or your animal from the medical or veterinary professional and they have given in to your request?
• Have you ever been given antibiotics and not finished the course?
• Are routine antibiotics (such as post routine surgery) given in the veterinary practice you work in?

If you've answered yes to any of these questions, you may have seen a situation that had the potential to lead to an increase in antibiotic resistance. 

Consider doing the following:

• Ask your medical professional  - why to I need antibiotics?  
• If you are prescribed antibiotics, take the whole course as prescribed
• As an animal owner, ask your veterinary professional - why does my pet need antibiotics? 
• If your pet has been prescribed antibiotics, give the whole course as prescribed.

In a veterinary clinic you might be working in, prescribing medications is the veterinarian's responsibility, but you may be able to open a dialogue to discuss antibiotic use. For example, you can consider surgical asepsis of the environment, staff and patient and suggest to your practice owners that it would be prudent to review routine antibiotic use. Come with evidence about how it would improve finances and safety for people and animals.

In a farm situation it is much the same - its the veterinarians decision to prescribe medications, but as a tech or animal owner, you might see antibiotics being used and wonder why, or if they are actually needed.  Talk to the veterinarian in charge and get them to explain it to you. 

Antibiotics do play an important role in our healthcare, after all, it was the invention of antibiotics that stopped many epidemic diseases in their tracks like smallpox and cholera.  However, there are serious risks with their use in terms of our future ability to fight disease and with virtually no new antibiotics being discovered, we are at risk of developing resistance to the ones we currently use and if those are no longer effective, our future health is at risk.

If you want more, Read about antibiotic resistance here

Free Green Apps

Last night I finally got around to reading the latest issue of Good Magazine (at least a month after it arrived!).  If you don't already read this and this topic is up your alley, its worth looking into.  Its great value and you can get an annual subscription through FlyBuys too. 

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There are so many great ideas and stories, but this week I thought I'd share some of the FREE Apps they suggest for becoming more eco-aware.  

• Project Noah - A guide to world wildlife that can be used in the field that's suitable for kids  .  
• EcoChallenge - This app contains ecochallenges to improve daily sustainability. 
• What's on my food - Because not all pesticides are equal, this app highlights the ones that are potentially more dangerous and therefore better avoided.
• Battery Doctor - This app ensures your device is running as efficiently as possible and can help improve battery life and therefore daily power usage too. 
• The Plant Doctor - This app can be used to send plant symptoms to a professional plant pathologist for diagnosis.  There is also the Yates app, which has clear pictures of common diseases symptoms of edible plants and advice of treatment.  
• Conscious consumers - Find hospitality businesses in town that are making a difference.  You can also join their Facebook page too.  
• Go Green - This app has useful hints and tips you can use everyday to reduce your environmental footprint.  
• iRecycle - Has over 1.5 million ways to recycle materials as well as updates on living a little lighter on the earth.  
• Pollution - This apps provides a list of pollutants in your area in the air.  
• Good Fish Guide - This app explains what fish are ok to eat as stocks are plentiful, what you should avoid due to over fishing.

If you search "Green Living"  and "Sustainability" at the App store you will find many others. 

Do you use these Apps?  What do you think of them?

Have you got others you'd like to suggest?

Tell us about them here.

Have a great week