Sustainability at UCSF Thomas B. Newman, MD, MPH December 4, 2007

Sustainability at UCSF n Context n What others are doing n What we are doing n Discussion: next steps

Context n Potentially catastrophic climate changes loom –faster than projected n Business as usual is not an option –profound changes needed

Cultural Context "We live in a wasteful, technology driven, individualistic and death- denying culture." --George Annas, New Engl J Med, 1995

What Others Are Doing n University Leaders for a Sustainable Future –Goal: make sustainability and environmental literacy a major focus of teaching and research, in addition to service and operations –Talloires Declaration: 356 Signatories (156 in US and Canada), including UCSB

Harvard Green Campus Initiative n Fiscal year 2008 operating budget of $1.8 million –19 full-time staff –38 part-time students n Green Campus Loan Fund –$12 million loan fund for conservation projects. n Annual Savings: –“The HGCI has generated annual savings that far exceed the cost of the programs.” n Courses on sustainability

Kaiser Permanente n (10/12/07) from KP CEO George Halvorson: KP as the “Queen of Green” –Awards from the EPA, LA-PSR –Favorable stories in WSJ, NPR, JAMA –Spending $24 billion on 4000 new construction projects by 2014, following 176 environmentally friendly design standards

Global Health and Safety Initiative n Patient, workplace, and environmental safety and sustainability –Sharing best practices –Combining purchasing power –Research –Advocacy/education n UCSF Medical Center one of 22 Co-founding organizations

UCOP Policy on Sustainable Practices (3/22/07) n Green buildings, U.C. equivalent to LEED Certification n Clean energy standards –20% renewable by 2010 –Improve efficiency n Climate protection –Reduce GHG by 2020 to 1990 levels –Measure environmental footprint n College Sustainability Report Card*: B+ (top 5-10%) *

UCSF Sustainability Committee n Assoc VC Steve Wiesenthal, chair n Work groups –Budget –Education and communication (chair open) –Green Building –Medical Center –Natural Resources –Procurement –Transportation n Sustainability coordinator: John Pihl

Dept of Epidemiology & Biostatistics Green Committee n All faculty and staff welcome (N~25) n Educate/facilitate re: green environment –Reduce paper use; using 100% recycled paper –Recycling –Commuting: shared bicycles, fast passes, Muni tokens –Seminars Carbon offsets Video conferencing –Lobby landlord to become LEED building –Menu changes for departmental lunches* n Web site: Google Epidemiology Green Committee *

6 things I know the UCSF leadership cares about n Nobel prizes, IOM, NAS memberships n NIH Grant funding ranking n Educating students n Sexual harassment n Protecting human subjects n Diversity

6 things I know the Medical Center leadership cares about n US News and World Report Ranking n Patient satisfaction n Financial performance n Confidentiality n Quality of care n Safety

Next steps n Increase visibility and effectiveness of existing efforts by UCOP, Chancellor, etc –We’re moving in right direction, but behind –Cultural change via Deans, MSO’s, Chairs n Develop new efforts –Sign Tailloires Declaration –Academic Senate Committee –“Pathways” model for students –Carbon offsets for University travel

Health Care Costs OECD, 2004 & Health Affairs 2002; 21(4): 99, Courtesy Bree Johnston, MD

Rank of 13 industrialized nations Low birth weight % Infant mortality Years of potential life lost Age adjusted mortality Life 1 yr Life 40 yrs Life 65 yrs Life 80 yrs Average for all indicators BestPoorest (U.S. in Red) US ranks 37 th out of 191 countries in overall health measures. Courtesy Bree Johnston, MD

Examples of successful cultural changes n Sexual harassment n Valuing diversity n Confidentiality