Tackling Climate Change Can Save Hospitals Money

(To get this story in your inbox, subscribe to the TIME CO2 Leadership Report newsletter here.) The business of healthcare in the U.S. is a big business, from the hospitals providing patients with care to companies that manufacture medical devices. In total, the U.S. spends more than 18% of GDP on health care. So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that health care also has a massive carbon footprint: it’s responsible for more than 8% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] For years, the climate impact of health has received less attention than other carbon-intensive sectors—but that may be changing. Last year, more than 60 of the country’s largest hospital and health care companies committed to cut emissions in half by 2030 in a pledge coordinated by the Biden Administration. At the Aspen Ideas Festival this week, I led a discussion on the emerging push to decarbonize the health industry. It’s an important topic with lessons for businesses inside and outside of that sector. Getting there will require a dramatic change. Shifting mindsets is hard in any industry, but it’s particularly the case in health care where practices are, at least in theory, dictated by a need to protect human health. Many items designed to protect human health, like single-use syringes and gowns, aren’t all that great for the planet. But leaders in the space say there’s opportunity despite these challenges. ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized climate change healthscienceclimate Leadership Report sponsorshipblock Source Type: news