From Guest Blogger Marlena Stoddard: Four Ways Even Hospitals are Going Green
As environmental concerns are rising, many businesses have decided to take a greener approach to their operations. Today, even the hospitals in our communities are searching for greener ways to operate and more efficient ways to care for people. As the health effects of pollution become more well-known and better understood, hospitals are beginning to understand going green as an obligation to community health. Here are 4 ways that hospitals are beginning to go green.
- Becoming More Energy Efficient
Finding more efficient sources of energy is not only great for cutting expenses, but it’s also beneficial to the environment. Many hospitals are beginning to explore this option by updating their cooling, heating, and lighting systems with today’s greener options. Manufacturers of industrial equipment, like Nationwide Boiler, as well as hospitals, are starting to see the economic and health benefits of being more efficient. Many hospitals are starting to replace inefficient equipment such as boilers, laundry machines, and dishwashers with more efficient models that use less energy and spew fewer toxic chemicals into the air.
- Green Cleaning
Many hospitals have been using chemical cleaning products that are harmful to the environment and also to the patients breathing them in. Because of this, many hospitals are now switching to greener, cleaner products that are great at disinfecting while also remaining safe for patients exposed to them. The organization Healthcare Without Harm claims that chemical products and cleaners affect our air so negatively they can even create breathing problems and should be avoided in hospitals especially.
- Healthier Food Options
In an effort to go green, many hospitals are switching to more plant-based meal options. It is well-known today that more plant-based meals, as opposed to meals of mostly meat and animal products, can help prevent health ailments such as diabetes, as explained here by the New York Times. But hospitals are also learning that these options are great for energy consumption and the environment. Buying more local whole foods saves hospitals a lot of money and energy, as well as helping their staff and patients eat a healthier, more nutritious diet.
- Generating Less Waste
The amount of waste created by single-use products is detrimental to the environment and our landfills. Some hospitals today are combating this fact by reprocessing these materials so they can be reused. The materials are sent to a processing plant after use, cleaned, disinfected, and then sent back for reuse. Additionally, hospitals are looking for more recyclable packaging and surgical equipment that generates less waste. Surgical rooms are being audited to see how much waste is being produced. Doctors and administrators are searching for innovative ways to cut down on waste without compromising patient care.
Each of the above ideas will help a hospital’s budget, the environment, and the health of its patients and employees. If big community leaders and businesses continue to take this initiative, our planet and health will benefit. What do you think about hospitals’ green initiatives?
1. University of New Mexico Heath Science Clinics are much too cold in hot weather. I don’t doubt that they could save considerable $ with better HVAC systems.
3. In many, or perhaps most, hospitals, patients are provided with a menu. Often, or perhaps usually, they can choose vegetarian items. Thus, patients have been empowered to chose more healthFUL and more environmentally benign food items.