Departmental Sustainability Efforts Take Center Stage in April
The first poster in the four-poster presentation is an overview of the Sustainability Committee's organizational structure, educational initiatives, sustainability metrics, and future directions.
The Department of Anesthesiology Sustainability Committee, led by Director of Sustainability John Mercer, MD, works year-round to advance environmental responsibility in anesthesia practice.
With representation from faculty, trainees, CRNAs, and anesthesia techs, the committee aims to identify and implement changes that reduce waste and emissions while preserving high-quality patient care. Its efforts have focused on data transparency, education, and strategies to shift habits in the operating room.
This month, the committee released a four-part poster presentation, “Department of Anesthesiology Sustainability: Blueprint for Fulfilling a Key Strategic Priority,” highlighting the department’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of anesthetics. The posters were created for the NYP Earth Day Poster Symposium, an event hosted by the Center for Health & Environmental Sustainability Solutions (CHESS).
The posters included
- a comparison of greenhouse gas emissions associated with common anesthetic gases, including the outsized impact of desflurane.
- an overview of nitrous oxide’s contribution to climate change, underscoring its limited clinical benefit in many scenarios.
- data from our institution on the volume, cost, and waste associated with laryngoscope use.
Extending the focus of the poster presentation, the department’s April 17 grand rounds featured guest speaker Dr. Deirdre Kelleher, Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical College. Her talk, “Sustainable Sustainability: Greening our Anesthesia Practices,” explored the environmental impact of anesthesia with a focus on gases, disposable materials, and manufacturing, to name a few.
Dr. Kelleher emphasized that the operating room produces 25% of all hospital waste. She reviewed steps anesthesiologists can take to reduce emissions, including low-flow techniques, reconsidering drug selection, and limiting single-use plastics where possible. She also highlighted national efforts to coordinate sustainability efforts across institutions and professional societies.
The sustainability grand rounds and the poster series reflect the Department of Anesthesiology’s permanent commitment to sustainability and the role anesthesiologists can play in shaping environmentally responsible clinical practice.