Despite the oath to ‘do no harm’, healthcare continues to be one of the most polluting industries on the planet. As the world’s economies struggle to meet the climate goals set out in the Paris Climate Agreement, Canadian policy makers and health leaders must place a new emphasis on promoting environmental sustainability within our healthcare system. I sit down with Kathryn McQuillan and John Collins, two students at McMaster University, to discuss the findings of a report we wrote that examined our Canadian healthcare impact on the environment. We examine two sources of healthcare pollution: greenhouse gas emissions and healthcare waste, and emphasize the actions we can take towards more sustainable practices and why healthcare needs to act now.

Music by Stan Forebee