Five Ways the Health Care Industry Can Help Green the Planet

When we think of how to combat climate change, big ideas like eliminating the use of paper or launching vast fleets of electric vehicles often come to mind.

But environmental sustainability comes in many shapes and sizes.

With the 47th annual Earth Day coming up on April 22, it’s a chance to consider the large and small ways organizations and individuals can take steps toward greening the planet, whether it’s opting for products made without harmful chemicals, setting up workplace compost programs, or investing in renewable energy sources.

Kaiser Permanente, the largest integrated health care system in the U.S., is one organization that is leading by example with its dedication to environmental stewardship.

“We work year-round on sustainable efforts to create renewable energy, eliminate food waste, and support local farmers and food sources through our weekly Farmers Market. We also have an annual partnership with Goodwill Industries for Earth Day, where we collect e-waste and donation items on site at our medical center,” says Murtaza Sanwari, Chief Operating Officer, Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center.

This year, the Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center Earth Day event is on Friday, April 21 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside Medical Offices 3.

Among the ways health care can help green the planet:

• Embrace renewable energy. Green power sources, including solar and wind energy, are more accessible than ever. From rooftop solar installations to large-scale wind farms, many options are out there. In 2016, 46 percent of the electricity Kaiser Permanente used in California came from renewable resources.
• Insist on better products. There may not be room in your budget to buy exclusively sustainable products, but you can focus on certain areas to invest in that will make a difference, such as more efficient electronics. Kaiser Permanente recently earned the EPEAT Purchaser Award for buying greener electronics in 2016. Over its lifetime, this equipment will result in a number of environmental impact reductions including avoiding the disposal of 124 metric tons of hazardous waste – equal to the weight of 1,009 refrigerators.
• Eat what you preach. The industrial food chain can negatively impact health, exposing workers and consumers to harmful chemicals and creating pollution when food is trucked long distances. Locally grown, sustainably farmed and processed food choices are good for the environment and for individual health. To this end, Kaiser Permanente buys nearly 25% of its food sustainably, and aims to raise that number to 100% by 2025.
• Set a goal and strive to reach it. Starting with small behavioral changes can make a big difference, but having an ambitious goal to reach toward can also be a great motivator for significant change. Kaiser Permanente has set ambitious sustainability goals to meet by 2025, including recycling 100% of non-hazardous waste, reducing water use by 25% per square foot of building space, and becoming carbon net positive.
• Save lives and protect the environment. Medication that is improperly taken or abused is a leading cause of accidental poisoning. Last year, in partnership with local police authorities, Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center collected 40 boxes of medications weighing a total of 460 pounds for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Unused or expired medications that are thrown out with the trash or flushed can pollute the environment. On April 29, discard any unused or expired medications at Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center outside Medical Offices 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s free, safe, fast and easy!

For more information on Panorama City Medical Center’s Earth Day, visit http://k-p.li/2oWy1C6

For more information on Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, visit http://k-p.li/2oWuq75