April 22nd is Earth Day. The health of our beautiful planet is the health of our patient. As physicians’ vow to first do no harm, we must recognize the link between environmental health and wellbeing and our patients’ health and wellbeing. The environmental impact we have can be categorized within four critical pathways: Shelter and Energy, Transportation and Travel, Food and Water, and Consumer Purchases. Each of these pathways contain habits, actions, and behaviors that can affect our global and local impact. While none of the pathways exist in isolation, individual changes to one pathway may have drastic implications to the impacts of an individual’s sustainable footprint. By exploring each pathway, you can identify your impact, how it relates to the global sustainability challenge, and what you can do to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Here are some practical steps you can take. You can also join the Green Team and get involved within Cooper by contacting ward-john@cooperhealth.edu or cerceo-elizabeth@cooperhealth.edu.
Ecological Footprint Calculator
What’s Your Water Footprint: Water Footprint Calculator Home Page (watercalculator.org)