According to the 2018 US national Climate Assessment, “It is extremely likely that human activities, especially emission of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century”

What are greenhouse gases?

Greenhouse gasses are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases

What are the impacts of climate change?

According to the environmental protection agency, global average temperatures have increased 1.8°F from 1901 to 2016, which may not sound like a big deal. However, changes of even 1 or 2 degrees can potentially cause dangerous shifts in climate and weather as we are observing in the 21st century.

The following are just some of the impacts of climate change:

Increased intensity, frequency, and duration of heat waves, which increase risk of heat related illness for elderly individuals, pregnant women and young children
Sea level rise, which leads to more flooding along coastal areas
Increased wildfires, leading to destruction of real estate, disrupted ecosystems, and decreased air quality
Ocean acidification. The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which increases the acid level of the ocean. This phenomenon has led to the destruction of coral reefs which are home to thousands of species of organisms. Ocean acidification is contributing to growing concerns over the marine ecosystem.

How can you be a responsible consumer?

To help protect other humans and organisms on our planet, we should all be conscious of our decisions. When searching for healthcare facilities or other businesses, see what practices are being done to curb emissions of greenhouse gases.

Wellworks Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Inc. is a Glendale Certified Green Business, meaning we have worked with the City of Glendale to ensure we are following best practices regarding energy/water usage, pollution prevention and solid waste disposal.

In addition, Wellworks has adopted the use of pillow cases that are sanitized with cleaning solution instead of laundered, which significantly decreases our water and electricity usage. Wellworks Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Inc in Glendale, CA has also installed solar panels on our facility to reduce our carbon footprint.

How does physical therapy impact the environment?

Research has found that physical therapy prior to common surgeries such as total hip replacements, total knee replacements and coronary artery bypass graft surgeries have reduced the length of stay needed for recovery in the hospital. Postoperative stays in the hospital are significant source of green house gas emission due to the amount of electricity required to run monitoring equipment, other hospital equipment, prepare meals, clean linens, and transport staff. Although research that analyzes the sustainability of physical therapy is lacking, current research suggests that physical therapy has the potential to decrease emissions through decreased postoperative stays in the hospital.

Apart from climate change, physical therapy may help reduce the amount of pharmaceutical toxins that are present in the environment.

One of the most widely used type of pain relievers are NSAID’s. When someone takes an NSAID medication, not all of the medication is absorbed, leading to the medication being detected in sewage and consequently in bodies of water where marine life reside. Environmental concentrations of NSAIDs have been found to have negative impacts on marine organisms. Although more research is needed, the increasing levels of NSAIDs in the marine environment presents a concern among scientists. Physical therapy represents one strategy for pain management that may reduce the need for these types of pharmaceuticals and their impact on the environment.

For more information, check out the citations below:

Banerjee, S, Sustainable Healthcare. Sustainable Healthcare and Environmental Physiotherapy. Plus. November 2021.

Banerjee, S. (2020, November 4th). Can pre-operative physiotherapy reduce the carbon footprint of hospitals? . Retrieved from environmentalphysio.com: Can pre-operative physiotherapy reduce the carbon footprint of hospitals?

California Prepares for Increased Wildfire Risk to Air Quality From Climate Change. (2022, March 15th). Retrieved from United States Environmental Protection Agency : https://www.epa.gov/arc-x/california-prepares-increased-wildfire-risk-air-quality-climate-change#:~:text=Wildfires%2C%20a%20longstanding%20and%20frequent,of%20particulates%20in%20the%20air.

Chopra, S., & Kumar, D. (2020). Ibuprofen as an emerging organic contaminant in environment, distribution and remediation. Heliyon, 6(6), e04087. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04087

Effects of Ocean and Coastal Acidification on Marine Life. (2021, November 2021). Retrieved from United States Environmental Protection Agency: https://www.epa.gov/ocean-acidification/effects-ocean-and-coastal-acidification-marine-life

González González, A., García-Sanz-Calcedo, J., Salgado, D.R. (2018). A quantitative analysis of final energy consumption in hospitals in Spain. Sustainable Cities and Society, 36: 169-175. doi:10.1016/j.scs.2017.10.029

Parolini, M. (2020). Toxicity of the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen towards freshwater invertebrates: A review. Science of The Total Environment.

Świacka, K., Michnowska, A., Maculewicz, J., Caban, M., & Smolarz, K. (2020). Toxic effects of NSAIDs in non-target species: A review from the perspective of the aquatic environment. Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 273, 115891. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115891

Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (2022, August 5). Retrieved from United States Environmental Protection Agency: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions

Officially a Glendale Green Business: What Wellworks does to address sustainability