Health equity: A critical piece in climate action

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Washington’s climate is changing – and it’s threatening the health of our most vulnerable populations. From heat waves and drought to wildfires and flooding, extreme weather is becoming a new normal. Sadly, the climate crisis does discriminate, contributing to a rise in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heat-related deaths, and other conditions that disproportionately strike communities of color, children and the elderly.

Many health systems across the state, including the Providence family of organizations, are taking steps to reduce this deadly trend. That’s because, in health care, we recognize we’re part of the problem. Health care in the U.S. is responsible for 8.5% of the nation’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. At our health system, we take this responsibility incredibly seriously and are actively working to reduce emissions to help slow the rate of warming.

At the same time, we must fight for health equity in an era of climate change. Health is a human right, and every person deserves the chance to live the healthiest life possible. Yet, systemic factors make marginalized communities more susceptible to health issues caused by a warming planet, from chronic conditions due to wildfire smoke and pollution or heat stroke and fatalities from excessively high temperatures. The climate crisis contributes to a state of inequality just as historical discriminatory practices in housing, health care, employment, and education have.

Health care institutions have a unique role to play in addressing the intersection between health equity and the climate crisis.

First, from nitrous oxide to food waste, hospitals, which serve thousands of patients a day across the state produce tremendous greenhouse gases, which is why many of us have taken steps to reduce our impact.

Second, health care organizations can proactively ensure their availability to help communities prepare for climate impacts in advance of the next extreme event. They can provide services and care during such events and help communities recover and heal afterward.

Third, health care professionals can provide evidence-based information about the risks of heat, smoke, mold, pollen, and other realities of a warming planet. Health care educators can also teach individuals and groups how to protect themselves before, during, and after extreme events.

Ultimately, all health care organizations and professionals must learn how to help make their communities safer in our warming world by understanding health impacts: teaching patients and families how to be safe, decreasing pollution from health care delivery, and partnering with experienced health and justice groups who can teach us more about it.

Hospitals are very complex buildings and systems, and if hospitals can effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, arguably any business, agency, or organization can, too. It can be daunting to get started, and yet, there are practical and inexpensive steps to take, like using resources more efficiently, managing wasteful purchasing and use of supplies, and switching to less polluting pharmaceuticals, products, and cleaning agents when feasible.

Even organizations in rural communities, including the rural hospitals that serve 70% of Washington state, can take small but important steps toward reducing greenhouse gases, while saving money and strengthening the health of their communities.

It has been said that climate change is the biggest public health crisis the world has ever seen, but also the biggest opportunity for ensuring equitable, safe, just, and affordable care. In Washington state, this is our sweet spot – by thinking of the climate crisis as not just an environmental issue but as a health equity issue, we can multi-solve several enormous challenges at once.

That’s why Providence believes in sharing what we are learning through our Center for Environmental Stewardship and at national events like the Bloomberg Green Festival happening this week in Seattle. Anyone can do this, but we need every leader and organization in our state to insist on equity and justice as key factors in their climate change solutions.

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