Tag: net zero target

Reducing the carbon footprint in the NHS

Delivering more environmentally sustainable care

A programme to reduce the carbon footprint of NHS Scotland and enable more environmentally sustainable care has been launched.

The National Green Theatres Programme, developed by clinicians, will cut the high emissions and waste typically generated in surgery while maintaining the highest levels of patient safety and quality of care.

The first set of actions will help NHS Scotland meet its net zero target by 2040 and reduce carbon emissions by 7,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide, the equivalent 4,400 single passenger return flights from Glasgow to New York.

The programme features a number of measures, all of which can be made without impacting patient safety or standards of care, including:

  • removing anaesthetic gases from the supply chain
  • moving away from single use instruments/consumables
  • introducing waste segregation
  • switching from pre-operative intravenous to oral paracetamol

The programme is being rolled out across the country following a successful pilot in NHS Highland.

Visiting the green theatre at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport Maree Todd said: “The roll out of the Green Theatres Programme is a very positive step in the right direction to making our NHS net zero by 2040.

“Our incredible NHS staff have worked tirelessly to develop a model that not only puts patients and their safety first, but will reduce our environmental impact.”

Dr Kenneth Barker, CfSD Clinical Lead for the National Green Theatres Programme said: “Our patients always comes first but it’s great that we are now making clinically safe patient care decisions with sustainability in mind.

“Theatres are high carbon and energy intensive areas that produce high volumes of waste, so reducing their environmental impact will make a positive difference toward achieving Scotland’s net zero targets.

“We are working with our National Green Theatres Specialty Delivery Group and national partners to support Boards to implement these actions and are developing a Green Map to monitor progress.”

Going green: Glenmorangie’s bottling plant switches to solar

– New solar array reduces bottling plant’s national grid reliance by one-third –

The Glenmorangie Company has installed a new solar array at its bottling plant in Livingston, as part of a significant eight-figure investment in its operations, which will reduce its current on-site energy consumption by 30 per cent.

The 1,476 panels cover the majority of the building’s roof, allowing Glenmorangie to generate its own renewable energy, delivering significant savings and at the same time reducing its carbon footprint. 

It forms part of the company’s overarching sustainable strategy to achieve net zero carbon by 2040. The installation has been carried out by West Lothian based DB Group, in partnership with Emtec Energy. The DB Group will offer energy management support as The Glenmorangie Company continues to reduce energy consumption and works towards its green targets. 

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The Company’s purpose-built Livingston site was opened in 2011. As global demand grows for both its Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Single Malt Whiskies the Company is doubling capacity at its bottling plant through an expansion due to complete in 2023. The solar array forms part of that development.

Michael Scotland, Facilities and Projects Director at Glenmorangie, said: “We’re putting sustainability at the heart of the expansion of our Alba bottling plant. Our capacity will be increasing with new high-speed lines being installed over the coming year.

“At the same time, we have installed solar panels to reduce our current reliance on the national grid. This also gives us a clear pathway to maximise green energy across our site as we work towards our sustainability targets.”

Peter Nelson, Operations Director at Glenmorangie, added: “The Glenmorangie Company has ambitious plans for growth while we are fully committed to building a sustainable future for our business and communities across Scotland.

“We have key projects already in motion or completed at our sites including the solar array at Livingston, the installation of an anaerobic digestion plant in Tain as part of our Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project (DEEP).

“We also continue to work in partnership with other Distilleries on new hydrogen energy trials with many more projects in the pipeline to achieve our 2040 net zero ambition.”

Top rating for Edinburgh Napier’s sustainability credentials

Edinburgh Napier has been named as the top university in Scotland for environmental sustainability and ethics, according to the 2021 People and Planet University League.

People and Planet is the only league table of UK universities focusing on action and transparency of environmental sustainability performance, and ranks universities across a number of credentials, including carbon management, energy, waste and recycling and workers’ rights.

Edinburgh Napier achieved a 2:1 ranking – the only Scottish university to do so – and topped the league in Scotland while receiving an overall UK ranking of 43rd.

The University scored particularly highly on its carbon reduction and carbon management and saw its biggest increases in score within Education for Sustainable Development, Ethical & Investment & Banking, and Staff and Student Engagement, highlighting recognition of collective work within each of the areas.

The good news comes in the same week as the University launched its new  Environmental Sustainability Strategy, which sets out the ways in which the university community will work towards a target of Net Zero Carbon 2030 and beyond.

Jamie Pearson, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Edinburgh Napier, said: “We are incredibly proud that the work and leadership of our community has been recognised in this table. An array of students, staff and partners have led and enabled key areas of improvement in our work, including divestment, engagement and curricular development.

“We will now continue our journey at Edinburgh Napier and will meet the significant commitments made within our strategy, including the very recent publication of our new Environmental Sustainability Strategy.”