Emergency hospital staff have joined forces with local primary school children to highlight the hazards of car idling, both on hospital grounds and elsewhere, as part of their measures to protect the environment.
Poster Competition to Spread the Message
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust emergency department (A&E) staff joined teachers from local Halliard Trust schools in organising a poster competition for pupils to spread the message that car idling—running a stationary car engine—is both harmful and wasteful. Many bright and colourful posters came in from schools including Upton Priory Primary School in Macclesfield and Lower Park Primary School in Poynton.
Winners and Prizes
The children who created the beautiful winning entries received hamper prizes, which were given to them at school during presentations featuring visits from the Stepping Hill Hospital emergency department team.
Car idling is a major source of unnecessary air pollution and fuel waste, producing up to 150 balloons of exhaust emissions per minute. Emissions from idling contribute to greenhouse gases, increase local pollution, and can exacerbate health conditions such as asthma and cardiovascular conditions.
Posters to Be Displayed
The posters will be used in areas near the hospital’s emergency department to help discourage the practice. The winning posters will be transformed into external sign boards for outside the emergency department (A&E), the ambulance bays, and the patient and visitors’ car parks.
Other Environmental Steps
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s emergency department colleagues have also taken a number of other steps to improve their environmental impact in the past year, including:
- Reducing the amount of plastic used in IV medications by tackling IV paracetamol and IV antibiotic overuse
- Reducing the amount of unnecessary blood tests by looking at the indications and altering them
- Looking at reusable equipment instead of single-use, which reduces significant plastic waste
- Encouraging reusable coffee cups and green commuter routes
- Looking at ‘growing areas’ around the trust site to encourage sustainability and renewing the natural environment
These initiatives are part of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s Joint Green Plan with Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust to reduce emissions and their carbon footprint.
Doctor’s Comment
Dr Jennifer Lea, emergency medicine consultant and sustainability lead for the emergency department, said: “It was wonderful to visit Upton Priory and Lower Park Primary Schools and see all the many beautiful and brilliant posters from the children helping with our ‘stop idling’ message. I’d like to say a big thank you to all the children and the Halliard Trust for supporting our message, and we look forward to displaying the winning posters soon, as part of our ongoing mission to improve the environment in our hospital.”
Stepping Hill Hospital is located in Stockport, Greater Manchester.
