The U.K. Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has released a list of tips to guide oncologists in improving the sustainability of their radiotherapy department.
These are the RCR's recommendations:
Get everyone interested -- Get the entire department invested in “going green” by organizing a lunch talk or departmental seminar, involving as many different staff groups as possible, and informing hospital management so you can coordinate with “green” changes they are implementing.
Quick wins to generate momentum -- Small actions matter, such as turning lights off, using reusable drink containers, reducing paper use, and turning computers off overnight.
Focus on your carbon hotspots -- For example, considering ways in which patient travel, one of the largest contributors to a center’s carbon footprint, can be reduced.
Sustainability supports health and well-being as well as the planet -- Focus on initiatives and encouragement to make staff culture more sustainable.
Think about the “co-benefits” -- Analyze financial and environmental benefits of changes implemented, calculating annual cost savings.
Acknowledge that producing sustainable change is a challenge -- Make changes easier to implement for staff (e.g., accessible recycling bins) and promote achievements in making changes.
Get to know your LINACs -- Know the cycles of these energy-intensive machines and what can be done to effectively minimize their energy consumption.
Don’t forget the drugs -- Consider the carbon footprint and environmental impact of chemotherapy and supportive agents, and explore ways to mitigate that impact.
Delete your data -- Less long-term storage results in fewer emissions.
Celebrate your progress!
The RCR’s full set of tips for “going green” may be found here.
