feature story
Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Helping the environment was the key topic at Mercer University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ interdisciplinary seminar “Caring for Creation, Ethical Response to Climate Change” held in February. Forty Doctor of Pharmacy students from the college attended the seminar, in addition to 200 Mercer students and faculty representing the college’s physician assistant program, theology, nursing, business and education. The event was organized by the Mercer Atlanta Campus Quality Enhancement Plan Team as part of a campus-wide effort to examine ethical issues.
Construction is underway on the stateof-the-art, LEED-Silver certified addition to the Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. When complete, the building will be the second LEED-Silver facility in Indianapolis and the third of its kind in the state.
The event involved a partnership between Mercer University and Harvard Medical School’s Center for Health and the Global Environment. Plenary session topics included “The Science of Climate Change,” “The Health Effects of Climate Change,” and “Religious and Ethical Reflections on Climate Change.” During interactive breakout sessions, students shared perspectives from their disciplines as they discussed topics such as basic climate science, local environmental policy, and climate change and human health. As a result of conference participation, a “Green Team” was formed for Mercer’s Atlanta campus to serve as a grassroots catalyst to implement plans for greening the campus. Pharmacy students and faculty are members of the “Green Team.” The team is initiating a recycling program for paper and plastics via a county-wide recycling program and recycling print cartridges through a local retailer. Recycling bins will be placed in the administration and classroom buildings, as well as in the campus apartments. Future plans include installation of waterless urinals and use of energy efficient lighting. Student participants in the interdisciplinary seminar reflected on how they can start to incorporate changes that will reduce their carbon footprint – on and off campus. “Many of the ideas that were presented concerned consuming less resources and making more efficient use of those we must use,” said second-year pharmacy student Katherine Wolf. “The idea of recycling and cutting back is one that makes sense. It will require self-discipline to implement.” In response to statements made at the conference that a rise in global temperature will increase the incidence of tropical diseases, third-year pharmacy student Kate Gillette commented, “I’m going to try to do my part to decrease my carbon footprint and make the small changes that I can to prevent this sort of healthcare nightmare.”
academic Pharmacy now Apr/May/June 2009
39