$used_once = "some value";
$used_once;                 # void context, does nothing

##</code><code>##

use EmeraldWarp::DBI;         # instead of requiring it
our $database = "whatever";

...

# the actual "work" is placed in a 'new' subroutine
# instead of being executed as part of the loading of
# the module

my $dbh = new EmeraldWarp::DBI($database);  # or just "whatever" and omit $database entirely
...