Howard Maunus, MD - Fellow, Climate Health Organizing Fellowship, Cambridge Alliance and Harvard Medical School; Member, Carolina Advocates for Climate, Health, and Equity

Dr. Howard Maness, a retired gastroenterologist and former faculty member at Jefferson Medical College, shares his journey from clinical practice to leading sustainability initiatives in healthcare. After realizing the environmental toll of medical waste during his 30-year career performing over 10,000 endoscopies, he became deeply involved in healthcare sustainability. He joined the Climate Health Organizing Fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance, where he helped pilot sustainability certification efforts across multiple surgery centers. Dr. Maness emphasizes that healthcare contributes about 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and highlights actionable, low-cost solutions such as switching to LED lighting, upgrading aging HVAC systems with state incentives, eliminating unnecessary central nitrous oxide delivery systems, and extending the use of medical supply bottles beyond arbitrary 24-hour discard rules. He advocates for local action as a way to combat climate despair, stressing that individual and institutional changes can yield both environmental and financial benefits. He also offers encouragement to healthcare professionals seeking meaningful post-career transitions, urging them to find community through organizations like Carolina Advocates for Climate, Health, and Equity, Practice Green Health, and Health Care Without Harm. The episode concludes with Dr. Maness inviting listeners to join the ongoing effort to develop a voluntary sustainability certification for ambulatory surgery centers, currently in collaboration with ACHC, the Joint Commission, Quad A, AAAHC, and DNV. His message is one of empowerment: even small, practical changes in healthcare operations can create significant environmental and economic impact. He underscores the importance of collective action, networking, and institutional innovation in building a more sustainable healthcare system.