Harvard OHNS Sustainability Committee Launches

Mark Varvares, MD, FACS, John W. Merriam and William W. Montgomery Professor and Chair Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Harvard Medical School, recently established the Harvard OHNS Sustainability Committee. The mission of this committee is to cultivate a culture of environmental responsibility and sustainability through advocacy, education, research, public service, operations, and clinical care.

The committee is specifically charged to:

• Advocate for sustainability initiatives related to otolaryngology and audiology locally and nationally. 
• Support the training of OHNS residents on healthcare sustainability through development of an OHNS sustainability curriculum.
• Network with local, national, and international organizations that promote sustainability efforts and bring events and best practices to the HMS OHNS community.
• Publicize current department-wide sustainability initiatives on a local level and nationally through collaboration with academic surgical and clinical societies.
• Share and implement best-practice recommendations for surgical sustainability initiatives.
• Collaborate with hospital and healthcare system-wide sustainability organizations to overall reduce Harvard OHNS’ impact on the environment in the areas of energy, water, waste, buildings, transportation, purchasing, grounds, food and dining and research. 

Amanda Dilger, MD, and Regan Bergmark, MD, were named co-chairs. Additional members of the committee are Phil Huyett, MD, Heidi Nakajima, MD, Julie Arenberg, MS, PhD, Robin Pappal, MD, Sara Gallant, MD and Katy Foley.