"The Greening of Health Care Facilities - Good for Employees, Patients, and Communities."

1. "The Greening of Health Care Facilities - Good for Employees, Patients, and Communities." 2008 West Virginia Rural Health Conference

2. The Greening of Healthcare • Global Green Economy • Climate Change • Globalization • Local Food Security

3. The Greening of Healthcare • Environmental risk factors play a role in diseases and death. World Health Organization

4. The Greening of Healthcare • Air Pollution = 5,000 deaths • Mercury = 10% of women • Pharmaceuticals = 80% of waterways

5. The Greening of Healthcare • There is an emerging awareness that more needs to be done to protect the environment.

6. Going Green

7. Going Green Go green based on the bottom line.

8. Going Green Picture of hands with bulbs

9. Going Green

10. Going Green

11. Going Green • Healthcare = Healthy Care

12. Going Green • Increasing sustainability: • improves the health of low-income people. • creates a more healthful atmosphere. • creates jobs and awareness.

13. What do we mean by “going green”? It’s about taking a more holistic approach to the creation of healthcare environments and understanding the relationship that exists between human health and positive environmental influences, both inside and outside the building. John Southerst – The Lockwood Group

14. Green Health Care Protecting the immediate health of building occupants

15. Green Health Care • Protecting the health of the surrounding community

16. Green Health Care Protecting the health of the global community and natural resources

17. Green Health Care • Cut Costs • Retain Staff • Improve Patient Care • Improve Compliance Regulation • Reduce Wastes • Improve Public Relations

18. What will "Going Green" do for you? ▬ Smart Savings: Save money and the environment

19. Benefits of Going Green • Muskogee Community Hospital reduced cooling costs 55% and heating costs 90% • Beth Israel Medical Center saves $600,000 per year by reducing waste. • Fletcher-Allen Health Care System reduced Volume and cost of waste disposal by 75%.

20. What will "Going Green" do for you? Recruitment and Retention: Staff will feel good about who they work for.

21. Benefits of Going Green • Improved morale = staff retention and reduced recruitment costs.

22. What will "Going Green" do for you? Better Patient Care: “All the evidence shows that green hospitals help people heal faster” President, U.S. Green Building Council

23. Benefits of Going Green • Money and resources saved can be directed to patient care. • Natural light helps patients heal faster, reduces hospital stays, and improves patient satisfaction. • Healing gardens and green spaces foster a healthy, healing environment.

24. What will "Going Green" do for you? Improved Regulatory Compliance

25. Benefits of Going Green • Green medical facilities are better equipped to comply with changing government regulations.

26. What will "Going Green" do for you? Reduced Incineration and Land filling • U.S. health care is the fourth-largest source of mercury air emissions. • Medical waste incinerators are the leading source of dioxin.

27. Benefits of Going Green We cannot eliminate infectious medical waste, but we can minimize the amount generated by properly separating it from noninfectious medical waste and by reducing dependence on disposable items. West Virginia Infectious Medical Waste Program

28. What will "Going Green" do for you? Public Relations: Be seen as a responsible community partner

29. Benefits of Going Green Business reasons for going green: • Cost savings • Staff retention/recruitment • Improved patient care • Improved Regulatory Compliance • Waste reduction • Public Relations

30. What to do?

31. Going Green Areas for Going Green: 6- Procurement 7 Contaminants 8- Green Cleaning 9- Waste reduction 10- Green Awareness • 1- Siting • 2- Water Efficiency • 3- Energy and Air Pollution • 4- Materials and Resources • 5- Healthy Hospital Food

32. Siting • Healthcare facilities – especially new ones - can be sited with consideration for the environment.

33. Water Efficiency Healthcare facilities can take advantage of landscaping, water use reduction, and innovative waste water use.

34. Energy and Air Pollution Healthcare facilities can reduce energy consumption and atmospheric pollutants.

35. Materials and Resources Healthcare facilities can increase use of recycled materials, local materials, and certified wood products.

36. Indoor Air Quality Healthcare facilities can improve indoor air quality and ventilation.

37. Sustainable Foods Healthcare facilities can provide patient and staff meals that includes fresh, local and organic foods.

38. Green purchasing Healthcare facilities can mandate purchasing sustainable products

39. Green Cleaning Healthcare facilities can switch to cleaning products that do not release hazardous chemicals.

40. Recycling Healthcare facilities can start programs to segregate medical waste and to reduce, re-use and recycle general waste, furniture and equipment that are no longer needed.

41. Training and Education Healthcare facilities can train staff in waste reduction, toxics reduction and recycling.

42. LOOK for opportunities to go green!

43. Green Business Accelerator

44. 910 Quarrier Street, Suite 206 • Charleston, West Virginia 25301 • (304) 345-1298 • www.economicoptions.org

45. Resources • Green Guide for Health Care: www.gghc.org • Healthcare Without Harm: www.noharm.org • Hospitals for a Healthy Environment: www.h2e-online.org • USGBC's LEED program: www.usgbc.org/leed/ • Practice Greenhealth: www.practicegreenhealth.org/ • Green Seal: www.greenseal.org • Center for Economic Options: www.economicoptions.org