Physicians are discovering that going green can save some green. Conversely, the desire to save some green can help them go green.

Take, for example, Richard Schoor, MD, a Smithtown, N.Y., urologist. He drives a 1999 Honda Accord on his daily commute, mostly because it uses less gas than, say, an SUV. The fact that it's also better for the environment is a bonus.

When Dr. Schoor saw his practice's energy bills triple in one year, he began taking small steps to cut energy consumption and met daily with his staff to ensure they were, too.

"I began cutting costs by turning off the lights when patients were out of the office and putting the computers on power-saving mode. You need to try and save every penny you can these days," Dr. Schoor said. "I don't keep the temperature ice cold in the summer or too hot in the winter, and when at all possible, I open the windows for fresh air. I'm on the second floor so there is no issue with people looking in."

While he has not seen a dramatic drop in his energy bills, he said they have remained steady, while energy costs for his colleagues have continued to climb.

Dr. Schoor is feeling good about how saving energy helps the environment and has taken other steps to reduce waste. His office has gone paperless, even though it would cost less to use paper than computers. And he says the practice has been vigilant about ensuring only medical waste goes into the medical waste bags, which also saves on disposal costs.

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