|
As 2009 unfolds, Mercy Suburban Hospital in East Norriton, PA, hopes to begin using locally grown, organic foods in the facility's cafeteria in its quest to redo current processes that can go green.
The 130-bed hospital is committed to lessening its carbon footprint on the earth's environment. The use of organic foods means a healthier environment in addition to a healthier staff, as no chemicals or long transportation moves are necessary for the produce. Soon, food and drink items may not arrive in cardboard cartons.
"Down-the-line, in the next couple of years, we plan to get rid of all corrugated cardboard coming into the facility," said Maryann Cannon, hospital safety and compliance officer.
Administrators jumped on the environmental campaign about 5 years ago, when the facility renovated numerous areas, including the interventional radiology suite, a computed tomography (CT) scanning room and two new operating rooms following the environmentally-friendly guidelines outlined by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.
The program is sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council in Washington, D.C. Mercy Suburban is credited as one of the first East-Coast facilities to become LEED-certified.
And last year, Mercy Suburban implemented an initiative to cut down on plastic and Styrofoam drinking cup waste. Employees who bring in their own mugs or cups receive a 15-cent reduction in the price of a fountain drink.
Energy Performance
Much of the effort is focused on optimizing the entire operation's energy performance in a quest for gold-level LEED certification. The facility is meeting expectations, said Al Zone, director of facilities.
When the facility began renovations, it installed a modular chiller plant that has made a vast difference in both energy and cost savings, he explained. The chiller plant is integrated with the building's current heating and cooling system and now delivers automatic temperature controls based on outside readings.
"Why have something running at 100 percent if it is not needed?" he questioned, adding the integrated system turns on heat or air on an as-needed basis.
Future environment projects include monitoring indoor air quality, and minimizing chemical and pollutant use in cleaning products. X-ray film recycle programs continue, as does a red bag trash-reduction initiative focusing on placing the right waste in the bags. In 2008, Cannon added, $28,000 was the projected figure for savings from the red bag trash-reduction program.
New recycling efforts are high on the list as well, Cannon said. In the cafeteria, for example, a cooking oil recycling program is underway.
"We were paying $900 a year to recycle that," Cannon said. "A company now picks it up for free and converts it into biodiesel fuel." The facility's dietary management company also began looking at incorporating antibiotic-free deli meat, which is certified by the America Heart Association and is gluten free, up to 99 percent fat free, lower in sodium, has no artificial colors or flavors and no MSG and transfats; and hormone-free milk into meal plans.
With all the earth-friendly changes happening so fast, the facility is communicating the initiatives in a hospital newsletter and hosts an "Earth Day" for the surrounding community where vendors showcase environmentally-friendly and safe products used at the medical facility. These same products can be used in homes, furthering the eco-friendly message.
Mercy Suburban, one of the facilities comprising Philadelphia's The Health Care Improvement Foundation's Green Hospital Pilot project, is committed to the earth and continues evaluating processes for waste and energy reduction.
All these efforts end up saving the facility--and the earth--in the long term, Zone said.
Scott Hatfield is on staff at ADVANCE.
Continued Reading
|