Operating rooms are among the most resource-intensive parts of a hospital, with high energy use, anesthetic gases, disposable supplies, and waste. A new narrative review in Cureus examines how anesthesia and perioperative departments can move beyond isolated green actions and build structured programs that actually stick. The authors reviewed 40 studies covering interventions like low-flow anesthesia, reduced volatile anesthetic use, waste segregation, reusable equipment, and energy conservation. Their main finding is that these practices only become durable when hospitals support them with leadership, clear accountability, procurement alignment, education, and regular audit. For anyone tracking healthcare decarbonization, the review makes a practical case for using perioperative services as a testing ground for hospital-wide sustainability. It also highlights the need for better measurement and governance, not just a list of green practices.
