Mayo Clinic campuses in Eau Claire, Rochester recognized by Practice Greenhealth for environmental efforts
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Mayo Clinic recently was recognized by Practice Greenhealth for its efforts in responsible environmental practices.
Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire received the 2015 Practice Greenhealth Emerald Award for demonstrating superior sustainability programs and cross-functional excellence. One of the Circles of Excellence awards also was received for having shown outstanding performance for commitment to preserving water. In addition to these practices, other sustainability efforts include increasing the use of cooling towers that saved 14.3 million gallons of water per year; restoring natural prairie habitats on the grounds around buildings to reduce watering needs; diverting 6,400 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air by conserving energy through efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems; and diverting 11,000 pounds of plastic and 845 pounds of cardboard from landfills through recycling.
“We’re lucky we have leadership who cares so much not only about patient health but the environment’s health too,” says Gordon Howie, director of Facilities Services at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. “Health care itself has historically been a wasteful industry, but I’m proud of our organization and employees who are making it as green as possible.”
Mayo Clinic’s campus in Rochester, Minnesota, received the 2015 Practice Greenhealth Emerald Award for improving its ongoing commitment to environmental performance, and the 2015 Making Medicine Mercury Free Award for efforts to eliminate mercury from facilities and patient care. Additional green practices include increasing the types of materials that are recycled, including lab and clinical plastics and some Styrofoam packaging; improving the heating and cooling systems in older buildings and switching to efficient lighting which led to a 5 percent reduction in energy; reducing the use of hard cleaning chemicals; and providing healthier and more sustainably sourced food options.
“We are honored to be recognized for our efforts to protect not only our environment but the health of our staff, patients and community,” explains John Dillon, M.D., chair of Mayo Clinic’s Rochester Green Committee. “We will continue to initiate new ideas with staff to expand our environmental efforts for the future.”
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading health care community that empowers its members to increase their efficiencies and environmental stewardship while improving patient safety and care through tools, best practices and knowledge.
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Mayo Clinic Health System consists of Mayo-owned clinics, hospitals and other health care facilities that serve the health care needs of people in 60 communities in Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The community-based providers, paired with the resources and expertise of Mayo Clinic, enable patients in the region to receive the highest-quality health care close to home.
Recognizing 150 years of serving humanity in 2014, Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit 150years.mayoclinic.org, mayoclinic.org and newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org.
