Our Tertiary Eye Hospital- A Novel Green Campus Combatting Carbon Footprinting

To assess the carbon foot printing of our tertiary eye institute and tackling the same with the vast green cover present in our campus.

A retrospective observational study for the annual year of March 2018- April 2019 at our tertiary eye hospital in south India.

Lists of materials used during a standard SICS procedure which included drapes, syringes and other plastic derivatives were compiled.  Estimated lifespan along with weight of each tool and surgical instrument was measured individually and the CO2 equivalent produced was calculated using online CO2 equivalent calculator. Additionally CO2 equivalents associated with waste products like pharmaceuticals, medical equipments, paper, ink, food and information technology consumed by patients during their stay in our trust hospital was calculated.18The number of trees and green cover present in our hospital was evaluated and the amount of CO2 consumed by them was compared in whole and its environmental implications were studied.

Using online CO2 equivalent calculator each case of SICS from surgical procedure till discharge generated a waste of 310 grams on an average resulting in total of 3.20 kg CO2 equivalent. The cumulative effect of operating 32073 SICS cases of community based patients accounted to be a total of 107.83 tonnes of CO2. Our hospital campus is situated on a land of 5 acres, of which the hospital, its build up area and the roads around cover an approximate 1 acre of the land. the cumulative Carbon fixation of all the trees per year is 36.3 tonnes of carbon which in turn indicates a fixation of 133.22 tonnes of CO2.100% of 113.13 tonnes of CO2 produced by operating 32073 SICS in our hospital was completely absorbed by the green cover in the campus.

 

The cataract surgeries that would be performed will rise in exponential numbers as the ratio of aging population tends to grow. As it is the most widely performed surgery worldwide its impact on environment & subsequent carbon foot printing will be significant. Ophthalmologists by using novel techniques like judicious use of disposable materials along with recycling and reusing surgical equipments will have a major role in contributing to the environment. Model hospitals like ours where the green cover & trees help in completely overcoming the carbon foot printing produced will go a long way in fighting global warming.The hospitals of the future on adopting this design of green cover & foliage have major role to mitigate climate change