104: Practicing Green Health

70 min • April, 22 2024

Envisioning a Thriving Planet Through Healthcare Sustainability

Imagine a world where communities are not only healthy but also equitable and resilient. This is the vision of Practice Greenhealth, a leading sustainability network that provides environmental solutions to over 1,700 hospitals and health systems across the US and Canada. The significance of healthcare sustainability is more critical than ever, as the sector, if considered a country, would rank as the fifth-largest carbon emitter globally.

The Critical Link Between Environment and Health

The World Health Organization has highlighted the undeniable impact of environmental conditions on human health, stating that enhancing these conditions could prevent nearly a quarter of global diseases. Amid rising concerns about climate change as a formidable public health threat, healthcare leaders are increasingly prioritizing the integration of sustainability and resilience into their operational and strategic frameworks.

Leading the Charge in Environmental Stewardship

In this insightful episode, we engage with clinical experts and sustainability champions like Shanda Demorest DNP, RN, PHN, Jonathan Perlin MD, PhD, Jessica Wolff MBA, MSN, Emma Pascale Blakey PhD, RN, and Beth Schenk PhD, MHI, RN-BC. They share how the healthcare sector is responding to the generational demand for environmental stewardship. Our guests delve into the various tools, resources, and exemplary practices that are driving the healthcare industry towards a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future.

Resources

• ANA Planetary and Global Health Resource Guide: https://www.nursingworld.org/globalassets/innovation/guide/2-iac-planetary-and-global-health-resources_20221206.pdf
• Practice Greenhealth: https://practicegreenhealth.org/
• Health Care Without Harm: https://noharm-uscanada.org/
• The Joint Commission: https://www.jointcommission.org/
• Sustainable Healthcare Certification | The Joint Commission: https://www.jointcommission.org/what-we-offer/certification/certifications-by-setting/hospital-certifications/sustainable-healthcare-certification/
• Sustainable Healthcare Resource Center | The Joint Commission: https://www.jointcommission.org/our-priorities/sustainable-healthcare/sustainable-healthcare-resource-center/
• Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments: https://envirn.org/
• Nurses Climate Challenge: https://nursesclimatechallenge.org/
• The Founding Mothers of the Nurses’ Climate Challenge – ANHE: https://envirn.org/podcast/5-1-the-founding-mothers-of-the-nurses-climate-challenge/
• CleanMed: https://cleanmed.org/
• Geneva Sustainability Centre – IHF: https://ihf-fih.org/what-we-do/geneva-sustainability-centre/
• The Deloitte Global 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey: https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/issues/work/content/genzmillennialsurvey.html
• TEAM Decarbonization and Resilience Initiative: https://www.cms.gov/team-decarbonization-and-resilience-initiative
• Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/team-decarbonization-and-resilience-initiative
• City Infrastructure Must Evolve To Protect Residents From Extreme Heat : NPR: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1038395128
• Climate change | WHO: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health
• Global environmental sustainability: https://www.jnj.com/our-societal-impact/global-environmental-sustainability
• Advancing environmental health equity: https://www.jnj.com/our-societal-impact/global-environmental-sustainability/advancing-environmental-health-equity
• The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health Civic Engagement Resources: https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/advocacy-resources/election-resources/2024-civic-engagement-resources/