Each year, the U.S. health sector pumps out nearly 10% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Hospitals, open 24/7, are among the biggest culprits, with nonstop lighting, heating, cooling and energy-hungry machines like MRIs and CT scanners. Operating rooms are especially wasteful, relying heavily on single-use supplies that end up in landfills.
It’s a record that inspired the Medical College of Wisconsin to create its Center for Sustainability, Health and the Environment in 2023 to try to prevent unnecessary waste and drive what it calls climate-conscious health care. “Energy use and materials are necessary for providing high-quality care, but we also need to look for opportunities to mitigate those so we can be good stewards of our environment,” says Christa Wagner, the center’s director.
Environmentally conscious health care can cut costs at hospitals, too (and potentially save patients money). Forming new initiatives can be expensive, but experts liken it to installing solar panels on your roof – on a far larger scale. “Whatever we do to conserve energy has an enormous impact, cost-wise and emissions-wise,” says Dr. Karin Zuegge, who leads similar efforts in Madison as medical director of sustainability at UW Health…