Portering
Stewards of the Hospital
The Power of the Porter
Porters have a unique relationship with patients. They often have opportunities to talk to patients in a way that not many other healthcare professionals have the chance to do so - on a very human and non-medical level.
Porters therefore have huge potential in educating patients on the risks and challenges of climate change and influence environmentally protective behaviours.
Discussion Ideas
There are so many topics in the world of climate change that form great discussions. The list is endless but here are a few ideas:
- Eating less meat and adopt a plant based diet - this is one of the easiest changes we can make to reduce our environmental impacts. Just one or two meat free days a week can reduce the carbon footprint of your food by 20%. Cutting out beef altogether can reduce it by 30%.
- Active Travel - Walking and cycling (even by E-bikes) is much better for your health and the planet than driving.
- Nature - This might involve visiting local nature reserves, watching nature documentaries, installing bird and bug houses in your garden, or even taking part in No-Mow May: a simple activity of not mowing your lawn for the month of May and allowing wildflowers to grow through the grass
The conversation is the most important thing as it will spark ideas!
Is there Anything Porters can do to Reduce their Environmental Impact?
Portering activities typically have a low environmental impact, however there are small changes that you can make to reduce the impact of your portering team:
- PPE - Consider whether you really need to wear gloves for transporting a patient? If you are not at risk of contact with bodily fluids and are not transporting an infectious patient, use of hand sanitiser alone might be the more hygienic option
- Team activities - Perhaps you could introduce "Meat Free Mondays" for your lunches? Car Sharing may be an option if you have similar shift times? Making changes together is much easier than going alone!
Check out the networks hosted by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare to find likeminded individuals and share ideas!