Environmental sustainability as it pertains to the health care system is a topic of increasingly recognized importance. In this episode, our guest Dr. Jonathan Slutzman, the director of the Center for the Environment and Health at Mass General Hospital, discusses the process of creating a sustainability program at our hospital. Dr. Slutzman provides insight into the clinical, financial, and environmental benefits of these sustainability practices. He also suggests key steps to consider in developing similar programs at other institutions.

For more information on this podcast, our guests, and additional resources go to: https://www.massgeneral.org/environment-and-health/healthcaresos

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In this episode, we discuss why waste audits are useful. We review the planning and the logistics involved with conducting a hospital waste audit. Our guests include hospitalists that led a 24-hour waste audit on a 20-bed inpatient unit at MGH, and the director of the Environmental Services Department at MGH.

For more information on this podcast, our guests, and additional resources go to: https://www.massgeneral.org/environment-and-health/healthcaresos

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In this episode, Dr. Duhaime discusses the history of the Journal of Climate Change and Health and opportunities related to publications. She then discusses the environmental impact of research, introduces steps that researchers can consider in greening their labs, and describes the consult service created at MGH to help investigators with these efforts.

For more information on this podcast, our guests, and additional resources go to: https://www.massgeneral.org/environment-and-health/healthcaresos

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We discuss educating nurses and other health professionals about climate change and their role in: educating patients; mitigating the effects of climate change; scholarship and collaboration; and getting involved at the community level.

For more information on this podcast, our guests, and additional resources go to: https://www.massgeneral.org/environment-and-health/healthcaresos

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In this episode, Dr. Paul Biddinger discusses the critical need to plan our health care system around climate change and its consequences. He reviews a multidisciplinary approach, initial steps and aspects to consider, as well as obstacles to disaster preparedness.

For more information on this podcast, our guests, and additional resources go to: https://www.massgeneral.org/environment-and-health/healthcaresos

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In this episode, Dr. Sam Smith discusses the action that he and his multidisciplinary team have taken to reduce the carbon footprint of anesthesia at Mass General Hospital.

For more information on this podcast, our guests, and additional resources go to: https://www.massgeneral.org/environment-and-health/healthcaresos

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In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Melanie Haines, who is an endocrinologist in the Neuroendocrine Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Haines has always been passionate about environmental conservation. But she felt a new call to action after a patient of hers was admitted to the hospital with a serious medical condition exacerbated by an extreme heat event in Boston, 2021. Dr. Haines shares how she took this call to action and transformed it into a project to address environmental injustice, with guidance from mentors, funding from an MGH Department of Medicine Community Scholar Award, and a partnership with Boston-based organization called CREW. This partnership hosted three summer 2022 community events to provide local residents education and resources, including air conditioning units, in an effort to prevent heat-related illness.

For more information on this podcast, our guests, and additional resources go to: https://www.massgeneral.org/environment-and-health/healthcaresos

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Pollution and the climate crisis are having enormous impact on the health of our patients. But are we teaching our future physicians how to recognize, manage, or prevent these consequences? Dr. Jake Fox, a third-year internal medicine resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses how he pushed for more education on these issues, and other ways he is trying to make a difference. 

For more information on this podcast, our guests, and additional resources go to: https://www.massgeneral.org/environment-and-health/healthcaresos

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