Creating an Environmentally Sustainable Allergy Practice

Healthcare practices have a significant impact on the environment and are responsible for approximately 8.5% of America’s air pollutants and greenhouse gases.1 While large hospitals account for about 36% of those emissions, medical practices are close behind at 26%. Hospitals and medical practices can save money by implementing sustainability measures2 and small changes can make a real difference.

Getting Started
Here are some key areas your practice can focus on to get started. These measures will reduce your carbon footprint and save money. Many tactics create a healthier environment for staff and patients as well.

Reduce energy consumption
• Establish a “turn off” policy where all of the practice’s computers, lights, printers, fax and copy machines are turned off at the end of each day.
• Set the office thermostat at 68oF in the winter and 74oF in the summer for optimal efficiency.  
• Replace old light bulbs with energy efficient alternatives like light-emitting diode (LED) and compact florescent lamp (CFL) bulbs – these use up to 75% less energy and can last up to 25 times longer.

Reduce and recycle waste
• Buy supplies in bulk and purchase supplies made from (and packaged in) recycled materials whenever possible.
• Place recycle bins throughout the office.
• Use recycled printer paper and partner with your local office supply store to recycle ink cartridges.
• Print double-sided – or go paperless whenever possible.
• Use a digital fax system rather than one that uses paper.
• Replace Styrofoam and other single use paper products in the break room with reusable cups and plates.

Switch to environmentally friendly products
• Use products with labels of independent certifying organizations, like the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice program. Don’t rely on terms such as “natural,” “green,” or “non-toxic” as these are unregulated.
• Use microfiber cleaning cloths that can be washed and used multiple times instead of sponges, mops or paper towels.
• Avoid antibacterial soaps that contain triclosan – regular (unscented) soap and water is preferable.

Protecting your patients with asthma
In the US, the most common inhaled therapies for asthmatics are pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs), which have a significant negative impact on the environment.3 Compared to dry powder inhalers (DPIs), pMDIs carbon footprint is 10-40 times higher. While DPIs are not appropriate for all patient populations (e.g., young children and elderly people with limited lung capacity) most of our patients could switch to DPIs and the resulting impact on greenhouse gases could be significant. To illustrate, each MDI used is equivalent to a car driving 57 miles; in comparison, each DPI used is equivalent to a car driving 2 miles.4

Taking steps to make your allergy practice environmentally sustainable is good for the planet, good for business and benefits our patients.

Learn more with these resources:
• "Climate Change and Your Office: Making Your Practice Greener and Environmentally Friendly" (2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress presentation)
• Addressing the climate impact of inhalers (CME module from the AMA)
• Lower costs by going green (article from AMA and the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health)
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services TEAM initiative
• USMLE green practices for medical professionals
• My Green Doctor
 
These links are for research only. They are not endorsed by The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

References
1. Eckelman MJ, Huang K, Lagasse R, Senay E, Dubrow R, Sherman JD. Health care pollution and public health damage in the United States: An update. Health Affairs. 2020: 39(12);2071-79
2. Kaplan S, Sadler B, Little K, Franz C, Orris P. Can sustainable hospitals help bend the health care cost curve? Issue Brief (Commonw Fund). 2012: 29;1-14
3. Huffman P, Hough E. A hidden contributor to climate change – asthma inhalers. Commonw Fund blog post. May 16, 2023.
4. Kariya, ST. Carbon footprints of various types of asthma inhalers. NEJM Journal Watch. October 8, 2024.

3/13/2025