ABDO sustainability lead, Dr Antonia Chitty, took part in the recent Eyes on Sustainability event, hosted and planned by Optician at Dynamic Earth – Edinburgh’s world-class science centre and planetarium.
The two-day meeting combined learning and networking, with all attendees committed to sharing their knowledge, making contacts and making a difference.
In her keynote speech, Antonia urged attendees to take action and share what they would learn over the coming days with others. She also outlined ABDO’s ground-breaking work on sustainability, and looked at what the NHS would require in the way of adaptations for sustainability in both Scotland and England.
The NHS requirements for sustainability for suppliers were also covered by Andrew Clarke, head of sustainability at Practice Building and Net Zero Optics. In his talk, ‘Sustainability myth busting’, Andrew focused on some of the misconceptions in the world of sustainability – which “at best muddy the waters and, at worst, prevent people taking necessary actions”.
Andrew’s whistlestop tour took in topics such as greenwashing, backed up by facts on UN priorities for sustainability and the areas in which we are now using more resources than the earth can provide. He helped delegates transition from learning to networking by finishing his talk with an original song, playing the guitar.
Monday started with a panel on contact lens and ophthalmic lens manufacturing. Attendees gained insights into the world of spectacle lens making from Mark Robertson, head of manufacturing at Caledonian Optical, while Paul Riggs, director of science and sustainability at CooperVision, focused on issues such as circularity – provoking a discussion about how to encourage patients to return their contact lenses, solution bottles and packaging.
Andrew Clarke then returned to speak about his work on carbon foot-printing with Hoya Vision Care, accompanied by video link by Marius de Beer, chief sustainability officer at Hoya Vision Care. The discussion left those listening with the confidence that, despite all the challenges of eyewear, manufacturers and suppliers were working hard behind the scenes on solutions.
Manufacturing insights
The second panel on eyewear started with a great insight into plastics such as acetate from Rachel Oakley, segment market manager eyewear, specialty plastics for Eastman. Rachel gave a compelling talk addressing how Eastman manufactures plastics, what consumers want, and new initiatives to introduce a higher percentage of plant based materials into some plastics. Eastman is also working on recycling initiatives in the US, which allow reclaimed plastics to be broken down into individual molecules, maximising the scope for reuse.
Ed Bird followed with the story of Bird Eyewear so far. Based in the South West of England, Bird has invested heavily in R&D, experimenting with sustainable materials and ways of manufacture. As a small start-up, the company has been agile enough to devise a range of schemes, including supplying recycling boxes to those who take on their frame range, providing sunglasses for homeless people, and supporting the charity SolarAid, which distributes solar light to families in Zambia and Malawi, replacing the use of fossil fuel-burning lamps.
Harvey Dhadwar, UK eyewear distribution at Rolf Spectacles, and Panos Nicolaou, CEO and creative director at Traders & Makers, completed the session outlining the sustainable credentials of their ranges.
After a break for lunch, Angela Smith, optical commercial manager as Asda Opticians, began the afternoon’s session on retail operations. Both Angela, and the speaker after her, Munish Datta, director of sustainability at Specsavers, have taken part in ABDO’s SEE Summit, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability across the board.
In his final appearance, Andrew Clarke explained the work Practice Building is doing with practices aiming for net zero. Another compelling discussion ensued with contributions from event chair and Optician editor, Simon Jones, as well as the audience.
“The discussions could have continued well beyond the end of the event, with Eyes on Sustainability bringing together eyecare professionals committed to the environment from the length and breadth of the UK,” said Antonia. “While a significant carbon footprint might have been generated by everyone’s travels to the venue, it’s clear that the lessons learned by attendees will more than compensate for this as they return to their practices and put the suggestions into action.”