Globally, healthcare accounts for 5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The Commonwealth Fund reports that in the United State alone, healthcare is responsible for 8.5 percent of emissions, this includes things like hospital care, the production and transportation of medical goods, and the countless syringes that are disposed of each day.
So, it’s not surprising that healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, are recognizing the part they can play in mitigating the negative health outcomes associated with a warming climate and increased toxins.
Two years ago, CU Pharmacy offered their first Human Health and Climate Change elective which contributed data to the Planetary Health Report Card - a metric-based tool for evaluating and improving planetary health content in health professional schools around the globe. This year, CU Pharmacy co-hosted the first Climate and Planetary Health Summit which sought to build upon the previous momentum to address environmental issues and help create solutions.
PharmD Professors Joe Saseen and Robert Page helped coordinate the virtual and in-person Summit in partnership with the School of Pharmacy at the University of Nottingham, England. According to Dr. Saseen, global partnerships like this one are important when teaching students worldwide issues. “Their mission (University of Nottingham) is similar to ours,” Saseen said. “We had previously collaborated for student exchanges, and we decided to expand into other areas like research, clinical practice and educating our students about climate change.”
The Summit included experts from other universities, like Associate Professor Hayley Blackburn, PharmD, from the University of Montana, who is known nationally for her work to combat climate change. Dr. Blackburn focused on the impacts of the pharmacy profession on extreme heat and air quality and told students not to be afraid to implement their pharmacy knowledge.
“Remember, you are in a privileged position in terms of addressing these issues, being a health professional, being a pharmacist, being somebody that people really trust, you are a leader in your community,” said Blackburn. “You might not think that you are a climate expert, but you know a lot about elements that can be applied to climate change.”
Other experts, like Associate Professor Naoko Arakawa, PhD, from the University of Nottingham focused on how the impacts of sustainable prescribing can mitigate harm on planetary health and help improve the water environment. During interactive discussions, CU Pharmacy students heard how the University of Nottingham was implementing change into their everyday life to try and curb the effects of climate change, like charging a fee for plastic and non-reusable coffee cups on campus and integrating sustainability into their curriculum and research projects.
CU is proactively working towards sustainability as well, offering climate change courses, supporting interdisciplinary research, and working with community organizations to encourage faculty and staff to participate in projects to reduce environmental impacts.
The biggest take way from the Summit for students; how much plastic waste comes from pharmacy healthcare. Medical supply packaging, medical devices (single-use syringes, IV bags), personal protective equipment, pharmaceuticals, and the coatings on certain medications and containers all have an impact on the environment. According to Sarah Mack, a second year PharmD student at CU, after attending the summit she’s more aware of the challenging issues she faces as a future pharmacist. “It’s something that’s not really talked about or we are introduced to,” she said. “Having this knowledge moving forward is really important.”
Looking ahead, CU remains focused on improving sustainability. One major upcoming change; transferring an entire water heating system on campus into a more environmentally friendly process. By implementing new heat pumps and updated technology, the chilled water, heat, and steam circulating through the hospitals and buildings on campus can be reused and transferred, making the system more sustainable.
One thing is for certain, there is an upcoming generation of pharmacists, fueled by passionate faculty both here at CU, and globally, who want to be a part of the change to make a lasting impact on the environment.
“My hope is that we are empowering our student pharmacists,” said Dr. Page “not only here, but on both sides of the Atlantic.”