Greening Emergency Departments: A Step Towards a Greener Future

Healthcare leaders know that working together is key to reaching net zero targets and providing top-notch care with a smaller carbon footprint. But making big changes in busy emergency departments can be tough. That's why the Royal College of Emergency Medicine launched a special program called GreenED in July 2023. This 12-month plan helps hospitals become more sustainable by following a simple framework of 36 actions. The goal is to empower staff to make a difference and track the progress.

A team of experts evaluated the impact of GreenED over two years. They looked at how much money and carbon the participating hospitals saved. They also analyzed the written feedback from the hospitals to understand what worked well and what didn't. The results were impressive - five hospitals got Bronze and Silver awards in 2024, and 10 got Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards in 2025. These hospitals are expected to save £351,366 and 157,724 kg of carbon dioxide each year. This is a huge step towards a greener future for emergency departments worldwide.