Hospitals Can Save the Environment and Your Health — Or At Least Not Make Them Worse - Petrie-Flom Center

August 2, 2026 - 06:31

The American healthcare system has a hidden cost that goes far beyond medical bills. Recent estimates show that providing medical care in the United States accounts for about 8.5 percent of the nation's total carbon emissions. That number puts hospitals and clinics on par with major industrial sectors when it comes to climate pollution. And because carbon emissions drive climate change, the very institutions meant to heal people are contributing to conditions that make them sicker.

This creates a troubling loop. Hospitals burn energy around the clock. They rely on single-use plastics, powerful anesthetic gases, and sprawling supply chains that ship goods across the globe. All of that adds up to a massive environmental footprint. At the same time, climate change brings more extreme heat, worse air quality, and stronger storms. Those events lead to more emergency room visits, more respiratory problems, and more heat-related illnesses. In other words, the healthcare system is both a victim and a driver of the crisis.

The good news is that change is possible without sacrificing patient care. Many hospitals are already switching to renewable energy sources, rethinking waste disposal, and choosing reusable medical equipment where safe. Some are even looking at how to reduce the use of certain anesthetic gases that are potent greenhouse gases. These steps do not just help the planet. They can also save money over time, which allows hospitals to invest more in direct patient services.

There is also a broader public health argument. When hospitals cut emissions, they improve local air quality. That means fewer asthma attacks and fewer heart problems in the surrounding community. So the effort to green the healthcare sector is not separate from the mission of healing. It is part of it. The challenge is real, but so is the opportunity. Hospitals that take this seriously can protect both the environment and the people they serve.