Orange City Area Health System employees are encouraged to “go green” by wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate the accomplishments of the Green Team and the entire staff in implementing environmentally sound practices throughout the health system. Recent “green” initiatives include:
- Mattresses from the nursing homes were donated to missions
- Used wheelchairs and parts were donated to Hope Haven Wheelchair Ministries
- Printers were networked to reduce faxing
- Outdated alcohol is being used for cleaning windows and mirrors
- Admissions’ registration forms are now laminated so they can be wiped off and re-used
- A reprocessing program whereby surgical recovery sleeves are sterilized and re-used has been implemented in Surgery/OR
In the past four years, the health system has launched many environmental programs, including coreless toilet paper; paper and cardboard recycling; “green” cleaning products; reduced use of disposable/styrofoam plates and drinkware; battery and cell phone recycling; mercury elimination throughout the facility; organic fertilizer; and reduced lawn watering.
“At Orange City Area Health System, not only do we think that being green is cost effective,” reports Dan McCarty, health system COO and member of the Green Team, “we also believe it’s the right thing to do, as evidenced by one of our Core Values: ‘Be good stewards of the resources entrusted to you’.”