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By Beth Eckl, Practice Greenhealth Environmental Purchasing program director
You’ve secured leadership support, built a team of colleagues who were successful in getting an environmental purchasing policy adopted, and now it’s time to select environmentally preferable products and services. So which contracts should you begin with? And how do you prioritize among hundreds of purchasing opportunities?
Setting priorities enables organizations to focus on the highest value opportunities to drive sustainable development.
Some choose to begin with a strong business case for targeting products… Read More
Type: Press
What began as an employee engagement campaign at Gundersen Health System blossomed into a project aimed at inspiring health care landscapers across the country.
Gundersen Envision, a subsidiary of Gundersen Health System, developed Udderly Green organic soil amendment products in collaboration with Purple Cow Organics.
The venture is rooted in Gundersen Envision’s dairy digester biogas renewable energy project in Middleton, Wis., one of the health care system’s many clean energy projects.
Planting a seed
Several years ago, Gundersen Health System and Dane County in Wisconsin partnered… Read More
Type: Press
By Julie Moyle, MSN, RN Outreach and Engagement Specialist
General anesthesia administered during surgical/interventional procedures typically includes the administration of anesthesia gases. Only about 5 percent of administered anesthesia gas is metabolized by the patient, while the other 95 percent is expired by the patient during respiration. To protect personnel in the OR from being exposed to the anesthesia gas, a breathing circuit and dedicated HVAC vacuum line (usually purple in color) diverts or “scavenges” the unmetabolized waste anesthetic gas (WAG) from the patient and vents… Read More
Type: Press
The Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. Welcomed Hermine Levey Weston
By Hermine Levey Weston, RN MBA
My father, an oral surgeon, was what we nurses referred to as a “tough patient.” When hospitalized, I saw more than one surgical or anesthesia resident slink from his room when he demanded the “attending” physician. He complained about the food and being left alone for hours without medical or nursing attention. My mother and I did a whole lot of hand holding, eye rolling, and apologizing to his care givers.
He had a nasty kidney infection in his late eighties and he was cared for at the… Read More
Type: Press
By Iqbal Mian, Practice Greenhealth member engagement manager
The first time I saw Sister Mary Ellen Leijewski, Dignity Health’s vice president of corporate responsibility, was at CleanMed a few years ago. Along with fellow CleanMed participants (I worked at a fellow Practice Greenhealth member health system at that time), we listened intently to Sr. Mary Ellen’s inspirational message on the intersection of sustainability and the respect for life through the value of stewardship.
At that time, I worked at Ascension Health/Ministry Health System guiding over a dozen hospitals and 46 clinics… Read More
Type: Press
See how your facility comparesThe 2025 Health care sustainability metrics report, featuring performance data from nearly 500 health care facilities across the country, is your roadmap for understanding where your facility stands—and where the greatest opportunities for improvement exist.Health care facilities tracking and improving these metrics are seeing:10-30% reduction in energy, water, and waste costs $100,000+ annual savings from proper waste segregation alone Improved patient outcomes linked to better air quality and healthier environmentsEnhanced reputation with the 70% of… Read More
Type: Press
Bring your energy and experience to CleanMed 2026 from May 12-14 in St. Louis and connect with like-minded industry peers. Together, we can unite our collective power to build health care systems that are resilient, equitable, and ready for the challenges ahead. Register today What you'll experience:40+ sessions including case studies, posters, and interactive workshops, showcasing over 40 health professional speakers that will share practical solutions for advancing climate-smart health care:Sustainability smackdown: The great CleanMed debateCommunicating sustainability through… Read More
Type: Press
Preparing your Environmental Excellence Awards application due April 15? Follow our submission checklist:Complete your emissions categories: If you need help calculating a Scope 3 category, follow our video walkthrough using our Health Care Emissions Impact Calculator.* Scope 1 and 2 data and at least one category of Scope 3 are basic requirements if you’re participating to win an award. Hit the “Review this application” button early: Review your application before April 15 to ensure that all required questions are answered and metrics look accurate. If you accidentally submit before you’re… Read More
Type: Press
Unleash your creativity and submit a video that celebrates the unsung heroes, innovative strategies, and transformative approaches driving progress in your organization. This is your opportunity to share untold stories that inspire and uplift the Practice Greenhealth community.The Sustainability in action video contest is your chance to shine a spotlight on your hospital and health system’s groundbreaking achievements. Share your inspiring stories of resilience, equity, climate mitigation, and sustainability with a broader audience – and gain well-deserved recognition.The contest submission… Read More
Type: Press
The competition for America's hospital chef of the year garnered an impressive array of plant-forward recipe submissions. Five finalists showcased global culinary influences, presenting dishes from barbecue-inspired jackfruit barbacoa to a mushroom soup rooted in Afro-Indigenous heritage.These chefs have drawn inspiration from family, flavor, and culture to transform hospital food into meals that are both nourishing and environmentally sustainable.The finalists and their innovative dishes are:Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center's beetroot & butternut squash tortelloni – Chef John… Read More
Type: Press
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.