Why was the Climate Care Program created?

Climate change makes weather events more extreme and worsens natural disasters. From more intense bushfires that kill iconic wildlife, to increased temperatures that lead to heat stress in beloved pets, to changes in weather patterns that effect livestock – the veterinary community across Australia is on the frontlines of climate change impacts.

We also know that the veterinary profession uses a lot of energy and chemicals, and generates a lot of waste. And while many vet teams are highly motivated to become more environmentally sustainable and take action on climate, workplace challenges make it difficult to achieve this. 

As a group of vets, nurses and other animal care professionals, we at Vets for Climate Action have insight into these challenges. We are also experienced communicators and educators, talking with clients and the community every day. We are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between what our colleagues in veterinary teams would like to do, and what they feel equipped to do.

This inspired us to develop a program that provides education on environmental sustainability and makes it easy to implement practical solutions, even in a busy veterinary practice.

For the good of our patients – and ourselves – we need to do what WE can to take the best possible care of the environment, and particularly to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to help bring a halt to climate change.

Who is involved in creating the Climate Care Program?

The Climate Care Program has extensive content and design input from a collaborative team of past and present volunteers including vets, vet nurses, sustainability engineers and specialist tertiary educators who are dedicated to a culture of continuous improvement in a rapidly changing world.

Read more about the program creators and contributors.

When did the Climate Care Program launch?

The Climate Care Program launched in February 2023. 

Who can register?

The Climate Care Program is open to members of all veterinary practices located within Australia. This includes (but is not limited to): Vets, vet nurses, managers, owners, receptionists, animal attendants, customer care personnel and students on placement. It is not available to individuals. 

How do I register to participate?

Head to the registration page on our website and complete the registration form based on your subscription payment preference.

How much will it cost and what's included? 

The Climate Care Program is of value to veterinary business in many ways, including improved staff satisfaction and retention, client perception, cost savings and increased profitability and of course reducing your environmental impact. Registration includes an annual subscription to the Climate Care Program. You can choose to pay the annual subscription via a one-off upfront payment or with monthly payments for 12 months:

• One-off upfront payment = $2340.00 + GST
• Monthly payments = $195.00 + GST per month

Participation in the program is based on the registration of one person (known as the Climate Champion) per subscribing practice. The Climate Champion is the person who will be undertaking the Program and will be the primary contact for information regarding the program.

Climate Champions are provided with access to the program's learning management system – Tribal Habits – for 12 months. Climate Champions are also invited to join and participate in the Climate Champions closed Facebook group. This community will support your learning experience and provide an opportunity to connect with a learning community of veterinary professionals and carers.

Our friendly team are also available to provide assistance and support via the Climate Care (email) Help Desk. 

How long will it take to complete the program?

While there is no set weekly time commitment, it's anticipated that each module will take approximately two months to complete, and the full program has been designed to take approximately 12 months to complete. The program is self-directed and based on key adult learning principles which means you can choose how best to manage your time and the tasks within each module. It's paced out to allow our programs team time to support you as you move through the modules while also providing you with tasks, actions and opportunities to connect with other Climate Champions through our Climate Care Facebook Community.

How is the program delivered?

We’ve designed the program to be as environmentally friendly as possible so everything can be easily accessed online via our chosen learning management system – Tribal Habits – which supports desktop and tablet devices and mobile phones. Because the program contains lots of videos to support your learning, your chosen device should have a speaker and/or be able to insert headphones. And of course, you'll need reliable high-speed internet access. 

We recommend you visit the Tribal Habits website for more information about browser and device compatibility. 

What will I learn?

We support participants to become Climate Champions who work with their team to implement changes that improve environmental sustainability. As a Climate Champion you'll learn about key aspects of sustainability in veterinary practice, and how making improvements in these areas helps conserve precious natural resources, reduce pollution and, most pressingly, mitigate climate change. 

The Climate Care Program comprises an introductory module and six sequential content based modules, each addressing a different sustainability topic. We cover water, waste/recycling, energy, procurement and chemicals. We'll provide guidance about how to get the most out of each module, depending on the time the Climate Champion has available. The program employs a variety of fun learning strategies to engage and inspire you, such as audio/video clips, case studies, Q&A, hotspots, flip cards and how-to-cards to name a few. These strategies provide flexibility yet scaffold and guide learning. Learn more.

Through participating in the Climate Care Program, your practice will experience many benefits including:

• Reducing your environmental impact
• Motivating and educating your team
• Helping to protect animal habitats
• Reducing costs and adding value
• Attracting and retaining dedicated staff
• Increased client loyalty
• Networking opportunities
  
  

Is the program eligible for CPD Points?

Yes! The Climate Care Program is a recognised professional development course with the relevant materials to make a credentialed course eligible for CDP. Read more.

What do I get when I complete the program?

Both the Climate Champion and their practice will receive a Certificate of Completion. In order to complete the program, Climate Champions are required to meet certain minimum engagement criteria. For example: view required content; conduct assessments of their workplace that evaluate and track water and energy usage and waste streams; implement sustainability solutions; share their achievements with their team and clients; and complete regular surveys positioned throughout the modules to provide valuable feedback.