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Sterilants and disinfectants used on surfaces, medical devices, and all items that come in contact with patients are an absolute necessity for infection control in any hospital.
The two most commonly used sterilants and disinfectants for medical devices in health care also have unwanted side effects for the health care workers who use them. They are:
ethylene oxide, a known human carcinogen; and
glutaraldehyde, with reported side effects experienced by health care workers, such as breathing difficulties, rashes, headaches and nosebleeds.
Both the use and disposal of toxic sterilants and… Read More
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Many of our member hospitals have made eliminating polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and the plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) from clinical products and devices a top priority, by creating PVC- and DEHP-free purchasing policies as part of their larger institutional safer chemicals policy, and by targeting specific hospital areas, such as the NICU, or product categories one-by-one.Switching to products that are free of both PVC and DEHP is beneficial to patient safety. The Food and Drug Administration has recommended hospitals limit exposures to DEHP for sensitive populations, especially… Read More
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Making climate action simple and deliciousThe Coolfood Pledge helps dining facilities – from hotels and restaurants to universities, schools, hospitals, and workplace cafeterias – cut their food-related greenhouse gas emissions by increasing and improving their plant-forward menu options.Why pledge?We make it easy The most comprehensive program addressing GHG emissions from food.All the data Data-driven with results you can see.Tailored to you Individualized technical assistanceIncluded Available at no cost for Practice Greenhealth partner hospitals (a $5,000 annual value). Participating… Read More
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Plant-Forward Future We teamed up with chefs Jessica Wright, director of healthy food in institutions for Nourish Colorado, and Andre Uribe, founder of Sustainable Meals Oregon, to create recipes and film demo videos for eight mouthwatering, plant-forward dishes.
From spicy tempeh chorizo to Thai hazelnut soba noodles and soy curls to green chickpea guacamole, each dish builds on locally available plant proteins – including some of the innovative products we developed with health care systems, and local producers and food processors for our regional plant-based protein project.
These… Read More
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Please visit our Guidance for health systems: Setting a net-zero emission goal page for more information.
Why are we changing our goal from carbon neutrality to net zero?
Climate science shows us there is an urgent need to substantially reduce emissions in the near future and offsets are not sufficient to meet that goal. To limit warming to 1.5°C (2.7°F), organizations need to focus on decarbonization so we can reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and reach zero emissions by 2050. Carbon neutrality is defined by PAS 2060, the internationally recognized specification. PAS… Read More
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The use of certain chemical constituents in products and materials can have significant health repercussions for building occupants, patients, staff, and the community. Chemicals of concern can be found in cleaning and disinfection processes, medical devices, furniture and furnishings, and health care labs – to name a few. Identifying and quantifying these opportunity areas can support chemical minimization goals.
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Your choices matter. By choosing a plant-forward meal you can have a huge impact.
Work in health care? Learn more about how to take action at your facility.
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Every day, patients and workers are exposed to a wide array of chemicals in hospitals and health care facilities. Many of these chemicals have been shown to have a lasting negative impact on individual health, public health, and the environment.Resilient flooring has a big impact on the indoor environment and on the employee and patient experience in your facility. Choosing healthier flooring can:Decrease patient, staff, and visitor exposures to harmful chemicals that have links to asthma, cancer, and developmental impacts, among other health effects. Decrease the volume of toxic and… Read More
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Website account access
If you have trouble accessing your Practice Greenhealth website account, or if you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
Current members
If you work for a Practice Greenhealth member facility, the best way to get in touch is directly through your strategy manager.
Potential members
If you are interested in your facility joining Practice Greenhealth, you can learn more here.
Media inquiries
Practice Greenhealth’s network includes health care leaders and sustainability experts around the United States. If you are looking for story… Read More
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Healthier Hospitals (HH) was a great success due to the thousands of hospitals and health systems that committed to the six challenges to improve sustainability performance. It represented a shared leadership around healthier communities and provided hospitals of all sizes with free tools and resources that help focus sustainability efforts on the health care sector's biggest areas of opportunity and risk. Our success is due in large part to the strong partnerships we've formed with health care organizations and other nonprofit organizations.
In many cases, these challenges helped get… 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.