Practical Tips for Health Professionals to Address Climate Change

 

Political

  • Ask for strong GHG emissions reduction measures by central government and local government. See OraTaiao submission on NZ’s post 2020 climate target (INDC).
  • Monitor and promote local government initiatives to rapidly reduce emissions, see www.sustainablecities.org.nz 

Professional

  • Educate and encourage patients and colleagues in climate change action.
  • Offset your carbon emissions - go to https://ekos.org.nz. Here you can offset your emissions due to air travel, road travel and annual electricity usage. We encourage you to request your employer to act responsibly and consider carbon-offset costs as part of any healthcare-related business travel.
  • Write letters for eligible patients to get subsidised home insulation: www.energywise.govt.nz/funding-available/insulation-and-clean-heating
  • Make Green Prescriptions (www.greenprescription.org.nz) truly green—advise the health AND climate benefits of increasing transport-related physical activity and eating less red meat.
  • Reduce your workplace footprint—see www.1010uk.org/business
  • Green your practice—use the NZ-specific 'Toolkit for Greening Your Practice' by Drs Rebecca Randerson and Rochelle Phipps, to help individual medical centres and others make environmentally responsible changes day-to-day that are easy and cost-effective: Greening Your Practice Toolkit.

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