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As a sustainability professional, you can connect your community benefit department with healthy food program implementers in your food service department to help align your organization’s sustainability efforts with community benefit investment opportunities.
Connecting the dots
Collaboration among sustainability staff and community benefit staff can additionally align and amplify “climate co-benefit” initiatives that directly improve public health.
By working together, these departments can share expertise and resources to more effectively — and simultaneously — address environmental and… Read More
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Purchasing touches every department of a hospital, and a high-level commitment to environmentally preferable purchasing can anchor these efforts and drive comprehensive, sustainable changes in how supplies and services are procured.
Practice Greenhealth has collected best practices from many hospitals that are successfully doing this work. The most successful have followed a clear framework of important steps that secure buy-in and longevity, promoting the results of any initial purchases of before the organization procures its first sustainable services or products. These key activities… Read More
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Hospitals are in a unique position to support healthy food access programs that respond to needs in their communities.
Triple win
By tying local food systems development to patient and community health outcomes health care, can achieve its core mission, reduce the cost of health care related to food insecurity, and deepen community relations.
Hospital campuses can be great places to host farmers markets, food pantries, or as a site for distributing community-supported agriculture (CSA) shares.
A growing number of hospitals have their own garden or farm on their grounds that is connected… Read More
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Increasingly institutions are procuring local foods to meet customer demand and to align with organizational goals. While they are robustly engaged in this work, food service operators may not be actively promoting their efforts. A seasonal harvest program can meet their distinct need to do so.
With ready-to-use materials that highlight the foods they buy and intentional messaging that conveys the value of local and seasonal eating, seasonal harvest campaigns can help institutions elevate their work to customers and leadership and increase awareness of the far-reaching impacts of their food… Read More
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Each year, Practice Greenhealth recognizes an array of health care organizations for their environmental achievements. Outlined below are the different categories of recognition a health care facility or health system can win in 2021.
Environmental Excellence Award
The Environmental Excellence Award recognizes health care facilities that continuously improve upon programs to address sustainable operations, reduce and recycle waste, lower energy and water use, source more sustainable products, and more. Winning facilities have developed successful sustainability programs in a variety of… Read More
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Health care systems have unique responsibilities when it comes to making sure building design and construction is sustainable and safe for staff, patients, and other occupants, including making sure:
People with any ability or disability may move around freely and safely
The facility stands ready for any emergency and is prepared to provide continuous care no matter the external circumstances
The indoor and exterior environments maximize patient healing and decrease the length of stay
The indoor environment does not expose staff or patients to pollutants and chemicals of concern
The… Read More
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This guidance uses the “plan-do-check-act” cycle as a framework for developing and implementing a successful food program. While this guidance focuses primarily on food procurement, much of what you will find below can also be applied to other food-related program areas. It is meant to help you build and assess elements of your food program one step at a time while adapting to new experiences and lessons learned.
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Many products and materials that come into hospitals may contain or release carcinogens, reproductive toxins, or other hazardous materials, exposing patients, staff, and the community to harm. Purchased goods and services also account for a majority of the energy and water use by the sector. Participants meet to share best practices in engaging group purchasing organizations (GPO) and suppliers, integrating environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) in value analysis, and identifying cost saving opportunities. Also, time is reserved during each session for participants to receive quick… Read More
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Plant-Forward Future Health care systems have partnered with local producers and food processors to source plant-based protein ingredients and products especially suited for health care in your region.
These materials designed by Practice Greenhealth will help you market these delicious, hearty, and locally available foods.
We're also offering guidance and support on menuing and marketing these unique foods along with strategies for replicating this model. Join a plant-based protein innovation project in your region.
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Plant-forward is a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, foods from plant sources – fruits and vegetables (produce), whole grains, legumes (pulses), nuts and seeds, plant oils, and herbs and spices – and reflects evidence-based principles of health and sustainability. – Culinary Institute of America
Plant-forward is the most delicious “quadruple” bottom line approach that health care can take – achieving social, environmental, and financial goals while providing great-tasting food.
Explore why food champions in every profession from chefs to… Read More
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Join Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the health care sector’s go-to source for information, tools, data, resources, and expert technical support on sustainability initiatives that help hospitals and health systems meet their health, financial, and community goals.
Who We Are
Practice Greenhealth is the leading sustainable health care organization, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1,500 hospitals and health systems in the United States and Canada. Partnership opportunities include hospitals, health systems, community health organizations, NGOs, nonprofits, government, academic institutions, and the health care value chain.