Hospitals try to curb astronomical emissions as pandemic brings new challenges

The healthcare climate footprint is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from 514 coal-fired plants but health workers are finding ways to cut wasteLois Wessel used to work as a labor and delivery nurse in community clinics in Maryland. She remembers that every time a baby was born, she would see a beautiful little creature – and then she’d see a whole big bag full of garbage, of sheets, supplies packaging and tubing.Shanda Demorest, also a nurse, used to work on the cardiac unit of a hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She said when many of her patients were at the end of their lives, caring for them took an “astronomical and perplexing” amount of resources. Related: The latest must-have among US billionaires? A plan to end the climate crisis We’re learning not to open everything disposable until we know that we really need itSustainability can save hospitals, millions and millions of dollars in energy reduction Continue reading...