Green Office Solutions for Physicians

A guide providing practical recommendations for physicians to reduce the environmental and health impacts of their medical offices through waste reduction, non-toxic procurement, and energy efficiency.

• Physicians' offices can contain hazardous materials and contribute to environmental degradation, specifically through the use of toxic chemicals like mercury and glutaraldehyde, the production and disposal of plastic medical supplies which release dioxins and furans, and energy sources that drive air pollution and climate change.
• To reduce waste and chemical exposure, physicians are encouraged to adopt specific procurement and operational changes, including using reusable specula and cloth gowns, phasing out mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers, and switching to non-glutaraldehyde sterilizers or steam autoclaves.
• The guide suggests several methods for reducing the office's carbon footprint and resource consumption, such as installing electronic thermostats and EnergyStar certified equipment, using low-VOC paint, avoiding carpets in favor of bamboo, cork, hardwood, or linoleum, and implementing water-saving measures like tap aerators.
• Physicians are advised to minimize paper use by utilizing electronic copies and double-sided printing, and to reduce external waste by refusing unnecessary pharmaceutical packaging and opting for electronic journals.
• The guide emphasizes the role of the physician in patient education, suggesting they use posters to inform patients about green practices and provide tools to help patients implement similar changes in their own homes or workplaces.

APA

Mu, L., & Arya, N. (n.d.). Green Office Solutions for Physicians. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/3.Brochure-Green-Office-Solutions-for-Physicians.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Mu, Lisa, and Neil Arya. Green Office Solutions for Physicians. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/3.Brochure-Green-Office-Solutions-for-Physicians.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mu |first1=Lisa |last2=Arya |first2=Neil |title=Green Office Solutions for Physicians |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/3.Brochure-Green-Office-Solutions-for-Physicians.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mundgreen, author = {Mu, Lisa and Arya, Neil}, title = {{Green Office Solutions for Physicians}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/3.Brochure-Green-Office-Solutions-for-Physicians.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }