10 Ways Hospitals Can Heal the Planet

 
By Kathy Gerwig
A healthy and sustainable environment is a necessary foundation for human health. On that most people agree. But there is an interesting paradox in health care: As hospitals deliver life-saving care to people, their environmental footprint — pollution, energy use, waste production, etc. — can be harmful to our health.
A growing segment of health care business and clinical leaders are addressing this glaring contradiction, and the medical community is taking an increasing vocal role in raising public awareness on the perils climate change poses to human health.
…Reduce hospital waste. Hospitals in the U.S. generate some 7,000 tons of waste per day, or more than 2.3 million tons a year. By making smarter purchasing decisions upstream and recycling, reusing, and composting waste, hospitals can save money while diverting loads of waste from landfills and incinerators.
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