JACKSON, Wyo. — A healthy human greatly depends on a healthy environment.
St. John’s Health is committed to protecting and preserving the environment by promoting cost-effective business practices consistent with the following principles:
- Meet or exceed all environmental laws and regulations
- Support and encourage recycling of the materials used within the hospital
- Minimize waste and ensure that contaminated waste is disposed of in a safe and responsible manner
- Encourage the use of alternate transportation through financial and other incentives
- Purchase products that contain recyclable or reusable materials whenever possible
- Practice water conservation and energy efficiency
- Use environmentally friendly cleaning products whenever possible
- Strive to eliminate the emissions of toxins or dangerous substances into the air, water, or earth
- Participate with organizations, businesses, and the public to encourage environmentally
responsible practices within our community and state.
St. John’s listed the following as their 2021 Practice Green Health Goals:
- OR/reprocessed devices: Increase use of reprocessed devices by 50% to reduce OR waste, save money and promote a sustainable circular economy.
- Energy: Create a 5-year energy plan with energy reduction goals to be approved by December 2021.
- EPP/Energy: Energy Star purchases. Create a process in policy that integrates the consideration of the cost of energy usage in the total cost of ownership when making purchases of energy-using devices.
- Chemicals/Green Cleaners: Complete a review of laundry procedures to determine best practices for disinfection/cleaning while considering some changes to third-party verified safer cleaners where possible.
- Water: Reduce gallons per square foot usage by 5% from 2020 by purchasing US EPA Water Sense-labeled products and other water saving equipment when possible
In 2020, St. John’s was awarded the Partner for Change Award for the fourth straight year from Practice Green Health along with the “Making Medicine Mercury Free” award. In 2021 they completed a comprehensive energy audit detailing opportunities for improving energy efficiencies and started a food composting program that diverts 22 tons of food prep waste from the landfill yearly. St. John’s has also decreased their disposable or blue wrap purchased yearly by providing staff education and purchasing sterilization trays. Additionally, they made the switch to recycled content white office paper and reduced our usage yearly for the last four years. Finally, over the last five years, they achieved a ten percent increase in landfill diversion bringing their 2019 diversion rate to 37%.
