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Practice Greenhealth and Health Care Without Harm recommend that food purchased carry one of these certifications when possible: the Agricultural Justice Project, Fair for Life, and Regenerative Organic. These certifications are recommended because of their commitment to addressing the social and economic determinants of health, individual health and safety of workers, and community resilience and their inclusion of sustainability criteria. To be recommended, each certification had to be recommended for at least one category (individual health and safety, social and economic determinants of… Read More
Type: Resources
Concerns over infection prevention, continued increase in the use of single-use, disposable plastics, and changes in international recycling markets and a lack of U.S.-based material recovery facilities have left operating rooms awash in single-use medical plastics. Additionally, a 0.5 percent contamination rate requirement on marketable medical plastics has challenged the compliance of many hospital recycling programs.
One ubiquitous medical plastic, ”blue wrap,” is estimated to make up almost 20 percent of all operating room waste. While these plastics do an excellent job of keeping… Read More
Type: Basic page
Introduction to carbon offsets
A carbon offset is a project or activity that reduces emissions of greenhouse gases to compensate for emissions created elsewhere. The Clean Development Mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change offers the public and private sector in high-income nations the opportunity to purchase carbon credits from offset projects in low- or middle-income nations. Common types of offset projects include forestry and land use, renewable energy, energy efficiency, methane destruction, industrial gases, fuel switching, and clean cookstoves.
Carbon… Read More
Type: Basic page
Some traditional cleaning products contain ingredients that have been linked to occupational asthma. It is possible for hospitals to maintain optimal infection prevention and control while also reducing staff, patient, and visitor exposure to harmful chemicals present in many traditional hospital cleaners.
Green cleaning goal
Inventory cleaning products and purchase 90% Green Seal or UL ECOLOGO certified cleaning products in the following categories: carpet, window, all purpose, bathroom, and general floor care
For the most commonly used cleaning products, “greener” cleaners can be… Read More
Type: Basic page
Antonia is well-versed in climate change work that focuses on protecting public health. Her previous climate work includes roles at Physicians for Social Responsibility and the National Resources Defense Council. She holds a doctoral degree in physics from the University of California, San Diego and a master’s degree in applied physics from Columbia University. Antonia has lived in Washington, D.C. since 2002 with her husband and son.
Type: Staff
The surgery department is sometimes referred to as the soul or epicenter of a hospital for a number of reasons: It can bring in up to 60% of a facility’s revenue, and the reputation of the operating room is often tied directly to the reputation of the hospital.
At the same time, a typical OR can make up half of a hospital’s aggregate costs, produce 33% of a facility’s waste, consume more energy per square foot than any other area of the hospital, and anesthetic gases alone make up around 5% of an organization’s greenhouse gas footprint.
All of this boils down to a department rich in… Read More
Type: Press
“I just wanted to send some quick feedback about the menu. The new lentils dish along with the tofu today were both fantastic! I also especially like when you have legume-based salads as part of the salad bar. In any case, thank you so much for continually expanding the healthy vegetarian options!” - Medical resident at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire is a signatory of the Cool Food Pledge, a new platform to help hospitals offer diners more of what they want while slashing food-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Dartmouth-… Read More
Type: Resources
The problem
It is estimated that over 30 million people in the United States, or roughly 10% of Americans, have diabetes. About 30% of people who have been diagnosed with diabetes are managed with some form of insulin. Additionally, many critically ill hospitalized patients who have not been diagnosed with diabetes will require insulin while in the hospital. It is therefore no surprise that insulin is one of the most frequently prescribed drugs in the hospital setting. At Stony Brook University Hospital, insulin is in the top 20 drugs by spend.
Type: Resources
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