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Sustainability solutions for health care

Practice Greenhealth is the leading membership and networking organization for sustainable health care, delivering environmental solutions to hospitals and health systems across the United States.

See how we can help you:

Buildings

Promote green and healthy health care facility design, construction, renovation and operations in order to minimize environmental impacts and foster restorative and sustainable healing environments.

Chemicals

Work with health care to eliminate harmful chemicals or substitute them with safer alternatives while minimizing chemical exposure of patients, health care workers, communities, and the environment.

Climate and Health

Health systems and health professionals are implementing business-smart initiatives that also protect their communities from increased diseases and more frequent extreme weather events caused by climate change.

Energy

Accelerate the implementation of energy efficiency while promoting clean, renewable energy in health care, mobilizing the sector as a leader for a healthy energy future for all.

Engaged Leadership

Almost 90 percent of the top-performing institutions in our sustainability benchmark report have an executive-level champion at the top of the reporting structure.

Food

Promote, purchase, and serve sustainably grown, healthy food to improve environmental health, build better food systems, and address the upstream social and economic determinants of non-communicable diseases.

Greening the OR

Though a tiny percentage of a hospital’s total physical footprint, operating rooms can drive big facilities’ cost savings and efficiency improvements through smart, incremental, sustainable practices.

Sustainable Procurement

Sustainability professionals and purchasing managers should work together to embed sustainability into purchasing processes and engage suppliers to provide innovative, sustainable products with a reduced impact on human health and the environment.

Transportation

Promote transportation strategies for patients, their families, and staff that support healthier local and regional transport systems while reducing health care's environmental impact.

Waste

Promote zero waste policies, reduce the volume and toxicity of waste produced by the health care sector, and implement safe, sustainable disposal options as alternatives to incineration.

Water

Reducing water consumption is a great place for hospitals and health systems to start improving their environmental impact and sustainability practices.

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

12 health systems shift procurement strategies to address economic, racial & environmental disparities

Leading hospitals and health systems in the U.S. are gaining momentum toward decarbonization and community resilience while leveraging their assets to move policies and markets.

Protection without pollution: COVID-19 waste-reduction strategies

Our guides will help health systems, hospitals, and other health care providers set up successful immunization programs that protect the health of people and our planet.

Your new guide for sustainable procurement

A groundbreaking new guide, featuring stories from 25 health care organizations around the globe, offers a roadmap to develop a sustainable purchasing strategy that prioritizes community and environmental health and safety while reducing costs.

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News & Updates

Practice Greenhealth announces 2021 Environmental Excellence Award winners

22 July 2021

Practice Greenhealth is excited to announce the recipients of this year's Environmental Excellence Awards, recognizing health care facilities across the country that have maintained and strengthened their commitment to sustainability amidst a pandemic. Health care institutions have found innovative ways to make progress on reducing their environmental impacts while facing unique challenges in the past year. These facilities recognize the intrinsic link between environment, climate, and health, and are working to lead by example. Hospitals reported achievement across 11 different areas of sustainability through the annual Environmental Excellence Awards program – while highlighting their collaborations with the community, their investments in resilience, and their resolve to address issues of racial equity and health disparities. “Despite immense challenges, the health care sector...

A shared food purchasing standard for hospitals, schools, & municipalities

22 June 2021
By April Galarza

We're updating our healthy food purchasing guidance in collaboration with our Anchors in Action partners to create a new cross-sector-aligned standard.

Montefiore shares tips for reducing e-waste & GHG emissions while saving money

21 June 2021

Since 2015, Montefiore Health System has diverted over 675,000 pounds of electronic waste from landfills, avoiding over 1.39 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions and saving more than $500,000. P...

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