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Hospitals are the second most energy-intensive buildings in
the United States. They're also significant consumers of water and generators
of waste. But that's only part of their environmental footprint. According to the
Healthier Hospitals Initiative (HHI), America's health care sector is the
nation's single largest user of chemicals. That's why HHI, a coalition of major
health systems, is advancing its Healthier Hospitals Agenda to promote environmental
sustainability and reduce pollution.
Hospitals that sign the HHI pledge commit their institutions
to a three-point program of improving environmental health and patient safety,
reducing resource consumption and waste generation, and institutionalizing hospital
sustainability and safety. In practice, this means selecting green building
materials, using clean energy, requiring suppliers to disclose chemical
ingredients, switching from radiological imaging equipment to digital imaging equipment,
and changing hospital menus to eliminate sugar-based soft drinks.
To date, 14 major hospitals and health care systems have signed
the HHI pledge. As the health care industry continues to struggle with rising
costs, however, should making hospitals sustainable be a priority?
Source: Healthier
Hospitals Agenda
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Re: Is Your Hospital Sustainable?
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