Going Green Is Second Nature For Moore Veterinarian

Going green is more than just phrase for one metro veterinarian, it's a way of life.

Rick McNeal, DVM has owned Ranchwood Veterinary Hospital for about seven years, and in that time he's seen his share of large electric bills as well as large pets. Recently though, McNeal made a large financial investment in green technology for his business that is starting to pay off.

"I've been an environmentalist my whole life," said McNeal.  "From the little banzai trees that I used to have to all the way up to y'know the solar panels that I have on my roof." 

The twenty solar panels he installed have made an immediate impact.  They've cut about a thousand dollars off of his monthly electric bill.

"I think at last check I've produced over ten megawatts of energy," said McNeal.  "Rough math, I could be wrong, but that's over five or six tons of carbon that has been avoided from going into the atmosphere."

The green philosophy also translates to everyday trash, or the lack of it.

"Every dog food can that's opened here is recycled," McNeal said.

Lindsey Pickard, a receptionist at Ranchwood admits that the recycling culture took a little getting used to, but now has become second nature.

"I'm tryin to find more ways in like, the other places that I'm involved in," said Pickard.  "Now I feel a little guilty every time I throw away a plastic bottle or something like that." 

"We need to preserve what we have," said McNeal.  "And when we look around at the concrete jungle we realize that we're playing a part of it."