• Site map
• Contact us
• About us
• How to join
• Feedback

Recommendations: what can health professionals do?

• Carrying out a carbon audit
  An important first step is to carry out a carbon audit at work and at home to give a baseline from which targets can be set and progress monitored systematically from month to month and year to year. See section ‘How can the impact of climate change be reduced?’ for information on and links to calculating your carbon footprint.
• Electricity
  Electricity can be a significant expense. There are many things healthcare professionals can do to increase their energy efficiency and reduce these costs:
  • turn things off at the plug when not in use, rather than leaving them on standby – it has been reported that between five and 10 per cent of domestic electricity used in the UK is by electronic equipment being left on standby. [see reference 76]
  • use energy saving light bulbs, and use fewer bulbs – one 100W bulb produces as much light as six 25W bulbs. (For further information on energy saving light bulbs please see www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/household/products/cfl.htm).
  • use seven-day timers to reduce the likelihood of equipment being left on, and using power unnecessarily
  • use efficient lighting systems and maximise natural lighting. [see reference 73]
• Efficient heating
  Heating accounts for the largest proportion of energy usage in primary healthcare (estimated at some 70 per cent by the Carbon Trust). [see reference 73] Healthcare professionals can reduce these costs in many ways:
  • turn down unnecessary heating and air-conditioning systems, and ensure refrigerators and freezers are set for optimal energy efficiency
  • use automatic time-controlled thermostats to ensure optimal usage and reduce costs
  • turn down thermostats on boilers and central heating
  • make the most of natural ventilation to cool buildings
  • maintain and promptly repair boilers and pipework, this can increase energy efficiency and stop minor problems escalating into costly replacements
  • install insulation (wall, floor, pipes etc) to minimise heat loss.
• Water
  Water is another significant area for saving money while increasing efficiency. Healthcare professionals should consider increasing their water efficiency:
  • use spray taps to reduce water wastage
  • convert toilets from single to dual flush systems or install cistern regulators
  • install low flow showerheads
  • repair all dripping taps and leaks immediately
  • do not overfill kettles.
• Waste
  Reducing the amount of waste produced can help healthcare organisations to reduce energy consumption and save money. There are many ways in which healthcare professionals can do this:
  • communicate with other healthcare professionals and patients by email or telephone wherever possible, including using teleconferencing and videoconferencing whenever possible for meetings
  • request test results and other information to be sent to you by email (and not printed out)
  • manage files and patient records on computer to avoid the need for printed documents
  • ask to be taken off the direct mail lists of pharmaceutical companies and other businesses who regularly post you materials you do not read
  • when printing, try to reduce paper usage by printing on both sides of the page and only print the pages needed.
• Reduce, reuse and recycle
  Rather than disposing of waste in landfill sites there are a number of measures that can be taken:
  • do not overstock products/goods which may expire before use
  • reuse or recycle stationary and equipment where possible
  • use recycled toilet paper, kitchen towel and tissues made from recycled materials
  • arrange for a regular paper and plastic container recycling collection (it is important to shred any documents which contain sensitive information before recycling)
  • make clearly labelled recycling bins available to both patients and staff
  • arrange for printer toner cartridges to be collected for refill or recycling.
• Food
  • buy fresh, locally-produced, seasonal products, which generally use less energy to produce. Local produce also has less distance to travel and therefore uses less fuel
  • eat sensible amounts of meat and dairy products, which can contribute to a reduction in methane levels (from animals) and CO₂ (from land clearance for farming). This is also good for health as the intake of saturated fat will be reduced.
  • avoid wasting food by only buying (or ordering in restaurants) what you actually need
  • try to avoid drinking bottled water or using products with excess packaging
  • use a system of recyclable water bottles for meetings
  • install a water filter at source to avoid transportation of filtered bottled water for dispensers.

• Construction
  Construction and building design is one of the major areas for environmental improvement at an organisational level. There has been a great deal of investment in new buildings for healthcare. It is important that as new construction is carried out consideration is given to:
  • building materials – selecting the most suitable building materials can allow significant savings on temperature and light control, and can improve staff productivity and patient comfort
  • orientation – optimising the orientation of new buildings to incorporate sunlight and shade can reduce the reliance on and cost of heating and air conditioning
  • efficient construction – being efficient with materials, energy and land can reduce construction costs in both the long and short term
  • accessibility – where possible buildings should be designed to encourage walking, cycling and public transport, whilst being sensitive to the needs of those with physical impairments
  • whole-life rather than initial cost – assessing long-term social, financial and environmental costs allows for a much more effective use of funds.
• Electricity
  • consider electricity usage as well as initial cost when purchasing both office and specialist equipment
  • switch electricity supplier to one operating wind, solar other renewable sources.
• Efficient heating
  • maintain and promptly repair boilers and pipework, this increases energy efficiency and can stop minor problems escalating into costly replacements.
• Water management
  • encourage staff to report leaks, this will not only reduce wasted water, but prompt action could stimulate suggestions for further improvements
  • water metering should be employed, as it increases the chance of leaks being noticed, and allows the effect of these changes to be quantified, providing evidence for further undertakings.
• Transport
  • promote and develop car-share and public transport initiatives
  • encourage staff to take public transport or ride to work, this can be done by providing bicycle storage and changing facilities
  • source locally produced foods, reducing CO₂ emissions from the transport needed, this has the added benefit of helping the local economy.
• Waste management
  • rather than disposing of waste in landfill sites, many materials can be incinerated and the heat generated used elsewhere, it is however important to realise that incineration releases CO₂ and other toxic particles into the atmosphere (unless the system is fitted with chemical scrubbers)
  • ensuring domestic waste is segregated from clinical waste as disposal of the latter is more energy and cost intensive.

• Climate and Health Council www.climateandhealth.org
  The Climate and Health Council is a not-for-profit international organisation with the aim of harnessing the intelligence and imagination of health professionals to help accelerate the transition to a low carbon world. This strategy is fourfold:
  - to recruit as many health professionals as possible to act and act now
  - to identify the most effective low carbon policies that when implemented will reduce GHG emissions
  - to establish a coalition of health professionals to act as policy advocates nationally and internationally
  - to encourage individual lifestyle change among health professionals around the world. It is vital that health professionals lead by example.
• Carbon Trust www.carbontrust.co.uk The Carbon Trust aims to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy by working with organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies. The Carbon Trust's NHS Carbon Management Programme (NHSCM) provides technical and change management support to ensure a reduction in CO₂ emissions. Information on the programme can be found on the Carbon Trust website. The website also includes the following two reports:
  - Primary healthcare: caring for budgets through energy efficiency
  - Hospitals: healthy budgets through energy efficiency
• Medact www.medact.org
  Medact is a global health charity tackling issues at the centre of international policy debates. Led by its health professional membership it undertakes education, research and advocacy on the health implications of conflict, development and environmental change, with a special focus on the developing world.
• Department of Health www.dh.gov.uk Includes the following guidance document:
  • The health impact of climate change: promoting sustainable communities.
• Faculty of Public Health (2008) Sustaining a Healthy Future: Taking action on climate change. www.fph.org.uk/resources/sustainable_development/sustaining_a_healthy_future.asp.
• The European Commission has a section on their website titled 'How can you control climate change?' http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/campaign/index_en.htm
• The National Energy Foundation (NEF) website contains a number of measures that can be taken in the home to reduce the amount of energy consumed within the home, for more information visit www.nef.org.uk/energyadvice/savingenergy.htm
• The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) produce information on what individuals can do to reduce their carbon footprint. Read more at www.sepa.org.uk/climate/solutions/youdo.html
• Sustainable Development Commission www.sd-commission.org.uk Includes:
  • Sustainable Development Commission’s 'Healthy Futures' www.sd-commission.org.uk/pages/health.html
  • Sustainable Development Commission’s 'Good Corporate Citizen' www.corporatecitizen.nhs.uk
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US) www.cdc.gov/nceh/climatechange
• Doctors for the Environment Australia www.dea.org.au
• International Society of Doctors for the Environment www.isde.org
  • Feedback
  • Equal opportunities
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and conditions
  • Accessibility
  • Help

  © British Medical Association 2008