Tick off 10 actions to cut CO2 by 10% in 2010 on your ward
1. Take control
Find the thermostat(s) or speak to Estates about heating controls – make sure staff and patients are not being cooked, and that air conditioning and heating are not set to come on at the same time… 10%? - no sweat.
2. Switch off!
Low energy lighting, motion sensor light switches and super-efficient fridges are all very good investments for your Trust. But don’t wait for the wheels of bureaucracy to turn – take matters into your own hands with a ward switch-off campaign! You’ll shed 10% overnight.
3. Get active
Spending less time sitting in cars will make your team fitter and more dynamic! Put up an information board to tell staff about public transport options, cycling incentive schemes, and how much money they could save on parking. Are there changing facilities and secure bike parking? Let everyone know.
4. Share a ride
Several staff may already have arrangements for sharing travel to and from work – can the ward help? Arrange shift times to coincide. Encourage new people to take part.
5. Spring clean the stores
A lot of energy goes into making day-to-day items which are used on the wards. Massive carbon cuts can be made by only using what is needed – so poke around your clinical stores and look through the ward order list – do you really use that many urine dipstix?? Speak to colleagues about what is and isn’t needed.
6. Go duplex
You know you’ve been meaning to do it for ages – get those print settings changed to double-sided. An easy tick.
7. Lick those plates clean…
The average NHS Trust wastes £55,000 in un-served meals every year (Audit Commission 2001) – never mind the cost, think of the carbon! Are all your patients given choice of food and portion size before ordering up? Not a drop or morsel wasted? Tick that box.
8. …Then wash them up
The staff have to eat and drink too – and that jacket potato is going to taste better off a real plate than one about to be chucked in the bin. Get some crockery for the ward and encourage staff to say no to polystyrene containers with their lunch.
9. Get sorted on waste
If it’s in a yellow (or orange) bag, it’s heading for incineration – another great way to make CO2. Get those newspapers and sterile packets out of there! Recycling bins in all your clinical areas? All used? Tick well-deserved.
10. Decarbonise care
Preventative (low carbon!) care is the best sort. Do your elderly patients get help if they are cold at home? Are the diabetics benefiting from a bit of active travel? Do families visiting the ward learn about health benefits of reducing meat, and take away some vegetarian recipes? You’re fantastic.
Congratulations! Don't forget to report back to 10:10 on your success
