Doctors at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) are working to reduce the health care sector’s large carbon footprint, estimated to be 8.5% of the US’s total.

The problem observed: Operating rooms, despite representing a small part of a hospital’s physical footprint, produce an oversized portion of its waste.
* The health care sector contributes significantly to climate change through energy used to run facilities, transportation, products, and waste disposal.

Initiatives underway: In response, a group of doctors at UPMC formed the Clinicians for Climate Action, aiming at curbing UPMC’s environmental impact.
* The group has successfully urged UPMC to phase out desflurane, a potent greenhouse gas used as an anesthetic.
* They have also reduced cafeteria food waste and cut down on single-use items, making significant savings in the process.

Major changes achieved: UPMC has established a sustainability office on the group’s recommendation and has signed a White House pledge to halve carbon emissions by 2030.
* The sustainability office, called the Center for Sustainability, is working to measure and reduce the hospital system’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Nationwide concerns: However, the larger challenge of the health care industry’s environmental impact remains, with some experts suggesting a national emissions reduction mandate as the only viable solution.
* The Joint Commission, a national hospital accrediting body, has thus far only offered voluntary certification in sustainable health care, after hospitals objected to a proposal mandating facilities to measure their emissions.

View original article on NPR

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