Decreasing our carbon and environmental footprint at conferences

Thank you, Dr Ladouceur, for appealing to Canadian family physicians for strategies to fight climate change and preserve our planet in your November editorial, “Our fight against climate change.”¹

One idea is for the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and its provincial and territorial counterparts to demonstrate leadership at conferences, starting immediately. Serving predominantly plant-based meals, avoiding single-use plastics, and offering and accrediting telepresence at conferences could all be done routinely. This would substantially decrease our carbon and environmental footprint as a group of health professionals.^2–4 These efforts could be publicized to set an example.

Regrettably, at the Wednesday lunch of the 2019 Family Medicine Forum in Vancouver, BC, in October, for every 3 rows of plant-based offerings, there were 10 rows of meat (roast beef or chicken). This is in line with neither Canada’s Food Guide⁵ nor the EAT-Lancet Commission.⁶ Thankfully, the packaging and utensils were mostly compostable. A large number of physicians flew across the country to attend the conference and it is unclear (after having inquired at the CFPC) whether there were options for participating remotely.

In line with our CanMEDS–Family Medicine roles of leadership and advocacy, the Canadian public should view family physicians as exemplars in matters of health. We call on the CFPC and its provincial and territorial chapters to immediately organize conferences to be consistent with current scientific evidence.

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