The Pill and the Planet - Ian Mudway
About this episode
This lecture discusses the environmental costs of modern medicine and explores potential sustainable solutions.
Modern medicine's success in extending lifespans comes at an environmental cost. This lecture explores the pollution from single-use plastics, pharmaceuticals and medical waste, questioning whether we can sustain this model. It examines the impact of drugs and their metabolites on ecosystems, the carbon footprint of healthcare and the ethical dilemma of balancing individual health with planetary health. This talk explores potential solutions, including green pharmacy, innovative materials and...
People in this episode
Host: Gresham College
Guest: Ian Mudway
Topics covered
- environmental impact
- healthcare
- sustainability
- pollution
- ethical dilemmas
Keywords
- lifespan
- ecosystems
- carbon footprint
- drugs
- metabolites
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Gresham College
Products: single-use plastics, pharmaceuticals, medical waste
More episodes of Gresham College Lectures
- How Hard is too Hard? An Introduction to Complexity - Colva Roney-Dougal
- Making Memory Visible Through Photograph - Julia Winckler
- Dionysus: Lord of Misrule - Ronald Hutton
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Gresham College Lectures podcast page.