In 2002, I, along with others testified before the City and County of San Francisco Rate Board urging the city to implement the innovative Fantastic Three ( black, blue and green garbage bins) which was televised. After its victory of approval, overnight there was an increase in recycling of over 25%. That was the beginning of my interest in preserving the environment and how each of every one of us can do our part, large or small, to help not only our country's environment but that of our world.

• In my office we recycle. We voted repeatedly to have our office building implement blue bin recycling.
• We are proud to offer digital xrays reducing radiation to our patient, our team and our environment by 90% compared to standard film.
• Patient love our email/text message confirmation system that saves paper, energy and time.
• We installed an Amalgam Separator receptacle before it became law in San Francisco By the way, you will be proud to know that SF is the first city to mandate that when silver fillings are removed from patients mouths, they are captured and separated by a receptacle and hauled out of the office in a special container preventing contamination of the San Francisco Bay waters.
• CEREC same day delivery of CAD-CAM crowns reducing the carbon footprint.

Here are other ways we are environmentally conscious and continue to finds ways to help our environment: shredders, installed 3M window film to preserve energy, electronic insurance claims, recycled old copier via Ricoh, digital voice mail, Energy Star washer and dryer, no fixer-No developer to develop film, receiving specialists report via email, etc.

Dr. Brattesani is a contributor for dental journals and e-journals on going green in the dental office. See recent dental journal article written Easy Being Green (2009).