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TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PRACTICE GREENHEALTH NETWORK
Last updated 10/27/2020 (PDF file for download)
INTRODUCTION
Practicegreenhealth.org is a service provided by Practice Greenhealth/Health Care Without Harm (“HCWH”), 12110 Sunset Hills Rd, Suite 600, Reston, VA 20191, and is subject to the Practice Greenhealth/HCWH Terms of Use (“Terms of Use”). Practicegreenhealth.org is an online interface as defined by the HCWH Terms of Use, and the following Terms and Conditions of the Practice Greenhealth Network are additional terms that apply to your use of the Practice Greenhealth website… Read More
Type: Basic page
The University of California (UC) announced a bold expansion of its systemwide sustainability goals as part of its Carbon Neutrality Initiative and leadership on climate change efforts.
UC will aim for 100 percent reliance on clean electricity supplies across its campuses and UC Health’s medical centers by 2025. This dovetails with the university’s prior pledge to become operationally carbon neutral by 2025. UC has already saved $220 million with its energy efficiency programs and continues to leverage the benefits of its solar farm in Fresno, the largest solar purchase of any university in… Read More
Type: Press
Solid waste is the largest waste stream for health care organizations, comprising two-thirds of all hospital waste. Though relatively straightforward to dispose of, the sheer volume of solid waste consumes more than 30 percent of the hospital’s total waste budget. It is also often called municipal, black bag, clear bag, or non-regulated medical waste.
Solid waste from hospitals resembles the waste generated in other sectors or even from residential neighborhoods: paper, cardboard, food waste, textiles, plastics, and other non-regulated trash, but with more plastic from gloves, catheter… Read More
Type: Basic page
Julie Moyle, MSN, RN, outreach and engagement specialist
If your sustainability priorities don’t include a transportation program and strategies to reduce transportation-related emissions, you are missing a big opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation as a sector is the fastest growing source of worldwide carbon pollution, and contributes 27 percent of annual U.S. GHGs, exceeded only by energy production/consumption, which comprises 29 percent of annual U.S. GHGs.
Coming soon: Transportation Goal and Toolkit… Read More
Type: Press
April 22 is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and this year’s theme is climate action. There is no better time to raise our collective voice and show the world how health care leads on climate to protect health. No matter what your role may be in health care, you can inspire others with your passion and climate leadership.
"The life of every child born today will be profoundly affected by climate change. Without accelerated intervention, this new era will come to define the health of people at every stage of their lives."2019 Lancet Countdown Report
Before/On Earth Day: Tell the world… Read More
Type: Press
By Gary Cohen, president and founder of Health Care Without Harm
Imagine energy efficient hospitals that save money on energy bills to use for critical patient care, and that promote renewable energy as a community health and resilience strategy. Imagine hospitals that create healthy food environments to help address the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in our country. Imagine hospitals that lead society in reducing toxic chemical exposures, and that are reducing their waste, saving money and improving patient care at the same time. Imagine a health care system that redefines “community… Read More
Type: Press
Thresa Pattee, our beloved colleague, friend, and posthumous recipient of our 2024 Environmental Health Hero Award
Each year, we select an Environmental Health Hero to recognize and celebrate their contributions to the environmental health movement. This year, Health Care Without Harm is honoring one of our own staff members who passed away in March after a valiant battle with bone cancer.
Thresa Irene Pattee, as all who knew her would agree, was a force of nature. In her eight years at Health Care Without Harm, she brought a passion for the mission of the organization that was matched… Read More
Type: Press
University of Chicago Health staff went above and beyond when they tackled the ever-growing pile of blue wrap coming out of their surgery department. Challenged with luke-warm recycling markets, Amber Kratochvil, operating room associate director, and a group of OR nurses came up with an innovative idea that both reduces waste and helps their community.
When they presented the idea to the unit-based council (UBC), UBC chair Heather Renken ran with it, establishing a team to start saving all disposable blue wrap that sterile trays come in when they arrive at operating rooms from sterile… Read More
Type: Press
Each year, Practice Greenhealth collects and reviews comprehensive sustainability data from hospitals that report through the Environmental Excellence Awards. We utilize this data to provide the sector’s best sustainability performance benchmarking data to hospitals and health systems working to build environmental stewardship into their mission, and to the greater health care supply chain partners that are integral to this work. This is the twelfth report in a series stretching back to 2009. This report lays out sustainability performance data for 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unique… Read More
Type: Resources
Rethinking Environmentally Preferred Purchasing: A Case Study in Implementation at Kaiser Permanente
By Vanessa Lochner, Kaiser Permanente's director for the Environmentally Preferred Purchasing program
Achieving an environmentally preferable purchasing program is simpler than many people realize. From the start, it’s important to determine the desired results.
At Kaiser Permanente, our decision to pursue a more rigorous EPP program was motivated by five environmental priorities: cleaner energy, safer chemicals, less waste, healthier and more sustainable food and water conservation. We’ve achieved multiple successes over the past several years. The EPP program delivers over $63 million… 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.