Carbon Footprint

I've always been bothered by the environmental impact of the medical system. So much stuff is used in a hospital that the carbon footprint generated must be enormous. The contribution by anesthesiology is not insignificant. As I've become more comfortable with the medical side of anesthesia, I've started thinking a little bit about the systems issues and trying to reduce waste. Reducing waste not only helps with cost effectiveness and the bottom line, but it also helps reduce our environmental impact. For example, anesthesia produces a lot of waste gas which contributes to the greenhouse effect. When I can, I try to reduce my fresh gas flow and reduce the resultant nitrous oxide and fluorinated ethers released into the environment. I no longer draw up medications that may be required in an urgent but not emergent situation. I know I can have them ready in thirty seconds so I don't waste the medication, money, time, and equipment to prepare them if I don't expect to use them. I try to recycle the ridiculous amount of plastic waste we generate. Being conscientious about these things is an important habit for physicians to acquire because all this waste will add up, and some day we may be forced to limit our carbon footprint. Perhaps one person won't make a world of difference, but if expanded to a global scale, small changes in our practice which have no bearing on patient care may translate into substantial gains.