Electrifying all our public hospitals is a marathon we need to start now

It’s estimated the healthcare industry contributes around 7% of Australia’s carbon emissions, with hospitals being the biggest carbon emitters in the sector. Hospitals run 24/7 energy-intensive operations for heating, cooling, lighting and to power all that medical equipment. A new campaign led by health care workers and medical groups is calling on the federal government to kick start what will be a marathon to electrify Australia’s 700 odd public hospitals. They’re proposing the government fund a feasibility study to retrofit and electrify nine of Australia’s existing public hospitals. Ursula Alquier is the Healthy Hospitals Campaigner for Health Futures, the not-for-profit social enterprise behind the proposal.