Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

Climate change is one of the biggest human health hazards of our generation, according to the Surgeon General. Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is advocating for smart climate change action, reducing our carbon emissions, and making sure we will be resilient to climate change impacts. From global climate talks to our local city meetings, we are speaking up to protect our patients and future generations from the impacts of climate change. We pledged to reduce our own carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2020.

Our climate reduction efforts are in alignment with our Utility Master Plan and Climate Action Plan. We have a multi-faceted approach to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

The medical and health community agree that climate change is one of the biggest health challenges of our generation. The Lancet, a medical journal in the UK, also argues that it is one of the biggest opportunities to improve global health by building a low-carbon energy sector.

Some organizations working on climate change and health:

• Health Care Without Harm
• Physicians for Social Responsibility
• American Nurses Association
• American Medical Association
• American Public Health Association
• Practice Greenhealth
• National Institutes of Health