From increasingly severe weather disasters to more extreme heat, climate change poses many risks to people’s health.
So hospitals – which are dedicated to improving and protecting people’s health – are working to limit their own contribution to the problem.
Stoddard: “Health care, more than any other sector, is really on the front lines of climate change. When climate-related emergencies happen, health care is dealing with that.”
John Stoddard is with the nonprofit Health Care Without Harm.
His group is helping hospitals sign up for the Coolfood Pledge, a commitment to reduce a quarter of the carbon pollution from their food supply chain by 2030.
To achieve that goal, hospitals are switching some meat and dairy products for dishes centered on fruits, vegetables, and grains. Plant-based foods are often healthier, and producing them emits much less carbon pollution.
As of 2022, the roughly two dozen hospitals signed up for the pledge had already reduced their carbon pollution per plate by 21%.
Stoddard: “Their patient satisfaction is not suffering. It’s overall been a success.”
And now, more than 100 hospitals and medical centers have joined the Coolfood Pledge – helping to keep their patients and the planet healthy.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
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