2020 Practice Greenhealth, Greenhealth Emerald award

Medical Center Recognized Nationally for Sustainable Excellence

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June 8, 2020

Sustainability is at the heart of the healing mission at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center – and this year its sustainability strategies have won two national awards. The medical center received the Greenhealth Emerald Award and the Circles of Excellence in Climate from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care. The Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards are the nation’s premier recognition program for environmental performance across ten sustainability categories, thousands of data points and over 400 hospital applicants.

In fiscal year 2019, the medical center’s sustainability efforts resulted in $3 million in cost avoidance and an increase in landfill waste diversion to 32% from 28%. The sustainability team at the medical center takes a holistic approach to sustainability that looks at its environmental, societal and economic impacts. The medical center’s environmental efforts include recycling ceiling and carpet tiles during the hospital’s various refresh projects, changing to LED lighting, composting food waste and donating 22 tons of food through Mid-Ohio Foodbank’s Second Serving Program.

The medical center successfully implemented a zero-waste program for its new employee orientation events, which diverted 70 pounds of food waste and compostable serviceware from the landfill. The medical center’s employee-led Green Team continued to host a variety of programs for employees. During the 2019 Earth Day celebration, an Earth Day Fair was held for employees to talk with representatives from organizations such as Boren Brothers Recycling, the Sustainability in Medicine student organization, Ecosia, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Environmental Services, James Mobile Education food truck and other sustainability-driven businesses. An Earth Day Give Back day was also hosted for employees to learn more about recycling resources for bikes, plastic bags, electronics, glasses and athletic shoes; opportunities for confidential document shredding; and how to properly dispose of alkaline batteries

Learn more about sustainability efforts at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.