LowFlowby Green Theatre
Visit LowFlow.orgA public educational initiative making the environmental impact of inhaled anaesthesia easier to understand.
A practical way to explore sustainability
LowFlow is Green Theatre’s online educational calculator for exploring the estimated carbon impact of inhaled anaesthetic agents. It offers a straightforward way to see how the agent selected, fresh gas flow and duration affect estimated consumption and emissions.
Why it exists
Environmental information can be easier to understand when people can explore an example for themselves. LowFlow brings one aspect of anaesthetic sustainability into an accessible format, supporting learning without turning a broad subject into a single instruction.
It reflects Green Theatre’s interest in public-facing education: connecting clinical questions with information that people can use, discuss and revisit.
Who it is for
LowFlow is intended for anaesthesiologists, trainees, theatre teams, educators and others interested in healthcare sustainability. Its purpose is to support understanding and professional discussion, not to guide patients in choosing an anaesthetic.
Understanding what the numbers mean
The calculator provides estimates based on the information entered and the assumptions used. Its figures are not measurements of an individual patient’s care or a complete account of the environmental footprint of a procedure. An emissions comparison does not, by itself, establish which clinical approach is appropriate.
Patient needs, appropriate monitoring, available equipment and clinical judgement remain central. LowFlow is an educational aid, not a prescribing tool or a replacement for professional guidance.
Understanding agent consumption also informs discussion about cost. A lower cost and a lower environmental impact are distinct considerations, even when both are relevant.
An initiative by
Green Theatre
LowFlow complements our research, education, policy and advocacy interests by making one environmental question more tangible. It is one practical expression of a wider purpose: making environmental responsibility understandable in the setting of everyday care.