What does sustainability in the healthcare sector mean to you, and why is it important?

The NHS is here to improve our health and well-being.  Sustainable lifestyles - eating locally, travelling actively and engaging with others in the community all benefit health and well-being so it makes absolute sense that NHS trusts should become more sustainable.  Resource efficiency makes sound economic sense so it is very important that public sector organisations tackle resource inefficiencies quickly to prevent waste. 

Brighton & Hove 10:10 Health Pioneers from 1010 Brighton & Hove on Vimeo.

Many of us have become so dependent on our cars they are often in every day use.  Living in a city I am fortunate in that I can cycle for most of my journeys. 

The one step that made a big difference to reducing our car use was keeping monthly and subsequently weekly records of our mileage (along with our utilities).  Although a simple exercise, the impact of gathering this data (combined with our 10:10 pledge) has been immense.  

With obesity predicted to grow at a truly alarming rate, we must surely take every opportunity to promote exercise and physical activity - especially given the health, financial and carbon costs associated with our increasingly sedentary lifestyles.

What we eat typically represents about one quarter of our personal carbon footprint. Luckily, a low-carbon diet high in locally grown, seasonal produce and low in meat is both good for the environment and our health. 

Saving energy in the form of electricity, gas and oil is at the heart of the 10:10 commitment and can result in significant financial savings.

On a personal level I have increased our loft insulation to about 250mm, installed high spec timber double glazing and we had cavity wall insulation installed in early June (see photo) which will hopefully make a big difference to our heating bills.  For healthcare organisations, help is on hand from a variety of sources.

The carbon footprint of the NHS, published by the NHS Sustainable Development Unit shows that procurement accounts for some 60% of emissions – a real opportunity to make significant cuts.

Resources available to people in the NHS seeking help with low-carbon procurement include:

10:10's focus for April is on travel. These resources will help you integrate sustainable travel into your organisation: