Health Care Without Harm

We need an end to the age of plastic! ?? Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to human and planetary health at EVERY stage of its life cycle—not only during disposal. Plastics often contain thousands of hazardous additives, such as carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and endocrine disruptors, that can leach from products and waste. These persist in the environment and endanger patients, communities, workers (including waste handlers), and ecosystems. Vulnerable groups like fetuses, newborns, and young children are especially at risk from exposure to these harmful chemicals. In the health sector, medical plastics are as toxic as any other waste and need to be detoxified and reduced. The irony is that these same plastics also threaten human health because they contain toxic chemicals, emit greenhouse gasses, create large amounts of waste, and break down into microplastics, just as other plastics. Stand with us and join the call for a just and equitable Global Plastics Treaty! Sign the petition at https://lnkd.in/geBEuWXE! ??

This insightful article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review highlights the critical role of system orchestrators, which build ecosystems of actors to move a broader systems change strategy. "What does system orchestration look like in practice? Spanning sectors and ecosystems, Health Care Without Harm is illustrative of the indispensability of system orchestrators to systemic change...Its orchestration approach incubates, connects, and scales grassroots initiatives to create systems-level shifts in policy and practices." Thank you to Don Gips of Skoll Foundation, Tulaine M. of New Profit, Rohini Nilekani of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, and Cristiane Sultaniof Instituto Beja for co-authoring this powerful piece and elevating Health Care Without Harm's role as a systems orchestrator. Read more?? ??

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is searching for a Chief Executive Officer to lead this highly regarded and innovative organization into its next chapter of impact. This is a unique opportunity to work at the nexus of health and climate action,?guiding a global mission focused on creating sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient healthcare systems. To learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/eNw3i57n This search is being led by Melissa Merritt, Kevin Bryant, Mollie Vermillion, Nathaniel Rodriguez Sosa. #GoodCitizen #Leadership #Sustainability #Healthcare #NonprofitLeadership

Thank you to the MacArthur Foundation and their Senior Program Officer Mijo Vodopi? for spotlighting Health Care Without Harm as one of their grantee partners focusing on innovative climate solutions.? Read more about our work to transform the health care sector to mitigate the climate crisis and its impacts on human health, and how we're bringing doctors and nurses front and center to share about improved health outcomes when pollution is managed. ??

?? Join our team – Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth are seeking candidates for our Content Strategy Manager position. The person selected for this fully remote position will be be an integral member of our Communications team, driving content and marketing strategies that support the mission and objectives of the organization. This position focuses on creating, managing, and analyzing content to engage stakeholders and drive impactful action in health care, particularly in climate mitigation, resilience, and equity, while strengthening the organization’s brand narrative across all platforms. View the full job description and apply by Dec. 16 ?? https://lnkd.in/eYyGutrX #Hiring #Job #CommunicationsJobs #Marketing #MarketingJobs #ClimateJobs #ContentManagement #Jobs #NowHiring #RemoteJob #RemoteJobs

130 hospitals – and counting – have signed the World Resources Institute Coolfood Pledge, an international, cross-sector effort to achieve food-related greenhouse gas reduction. Several hospitals and health systems have already met or even surpassed the goal of 38% per plate GHG reduction, with a 15.7% average reduction – and some Practice Greenhealth partners have achieved as much as a 54% reduction. Check out the champions ????

Today at #COP29, the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a number of updates on their many health sector climate resilience and emissions reduction efforts. They shared?new case studies on how community health centers are leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act and provided an update on the White House-HHS Health Sector Climate Pledge signatories. We're excited to learn the Veterans Health Administration has announced the removal of the anesthetic gas desflurane, a potent greenhouse gas, from its formulary across the VA health system, and the Indian Health Service has committed to do the same. Learn more ??

As the climate crisis intensifies, health care must prioritize adaptation by investing in climate-resilient infrastructure and services to withstand the effects of the changing climate while simultaneously focusing on mitigation efforts to reduce emissions. Today at COP29 Azerbaijan, Diana Picon Manyari participated in an event organized by Race to Resilience and shared how Health Care Without Harm is working with the health care sector to improve adaptation and resilience. This year, we launched with the UN Climate Change High-Level Climate Champions a joint commitment with the Clinton Global Initiative to double the number of health care institutions around the world working to achieve net zero while enhancing climate resilience. As part of this initiative, in 2025 Health Care Without Harm will: ?? Convene key implementers to focus on developing and rolling out zero emissions and resilient health care learning initiatives to help accelerate the pace of new pledges and ensure the implementation of existing commitments ?? Launch a suite of tailored tools to support adaptation in health care facilities Learn more about our work with the health care sector: https://lnkd.in/d27EhFJb

The Global Plastics Treaty will not be equitable and just if the health sector is not included in the narrative. ?? We strongly urge the treaty negotiators for INC-5 to develop an ambitious and just treaty to end plastic pollution, WITHOUT exempting the health sector. To our fellow health care leaders and workers, we call on YOU to be an active voice in the fight to address plastic pollution! Amplify our calls and sign the Open Letter to INC negotiators at https://lnkd.in/g2FGTigZ. Since its initial release in April 2024, our open letter continues to gain strong support. To date, we have received more than 18 million health professionals, represented by 63 health organizations across 88 countries, along with over 1,000 individual signatories from across the health sector. Raise your voice in this historic moment in the plastic free movement. Join us as we push for a strong and ambitious Global Plastics Treaty. ?? #GlobalPlasticsTreaty #PlasticsTreaty #NoPlasticPollution #INC5 #PlasticsTreatyForHealth #PlasticsAndHealth

On Nov. 18, our delegation at #COP29 Azerbaijan, will participate in a series of events. Come and join us! ?? 11:30 a.m. | Josh Karliner will participate in the panel "Decarbonizing Healthcare: Challenges and Opportunities," organized by Deloitte. Deloitte Pavillion, Green Zone. ?? 4:00 p.m. | Andreas Ekvall will join the Health System Adaptation to Climate Change panel in the Spanish Pavillion, Blue Zone. ?? 4:30 p.m. | Join Diana Picon Manyari for the event "Race to Resilience in Action: 2024 Update," organized by the UN Climate Change High-Level Climate Champions. Resilience Hub (Humanitarian Hub), Blue Zone. Live streaming. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gb78HrEg.