4 Easy Ways That the Health Industry Can Go Green
The health industry encompasses private clinics, pharmacies, hospitals and community centers. Many people rely on these organizations and the doctors and nurses working for them to feel their best and recover from various health conditions. However, the sustainability trend is here to stay and businesses are jumping on board to do their part for the earth. While it may sound strange at first to think about health clinics going green, it’s becoming more commonplace. Better yet, it’s easy to do. Learn about four simple ways that healthcare leaders can reduce their carbon footprint without lowering the quality of care that patients receive.
Building Renovations
Electrical use is one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions. Any property owner can make changes to their commercial property to make mother earth smile. One excellent investment is solar panels. Solar panels channel the power of the sun to power a building instead of relying on traditional wiring. They can last for decades without malfunctioning and look appealing on every type of building. In fact, buying solar panels requires obtaining a quote and letting professionals work on a building to install the panels. The final result can draw attention to a business and possibly lower monthly utility bills.
Business owners can also use sustainable, energy-saving light bulbs and paint that is free from harmful contaminants. They can choose carpet or flooring that is sustainable. Many homeowners are taking these actions for their living spaces and commercial property owners can too to give their patients a great place to visit.
Paperless Policy
Paper can be recycled, but too often it goes in the trash. Medical clinics often use a lot of paper to obtain information from clients, create records and exchange information. Paper methods are becoming outdated. Most patients and healthcare employees are comfortable with electronic communication. Organizations can go paperless to professionally serve their patients while reducing office waste.
Going paperless has a myriad of benefits than just waste reduction. Privacy protection is at the forefront for healthcare organizations and electronic communication is safer than paper because it is password protected. Therefore, patients and employees obtain peace-of-mind when completing forms digitally. It’s often more efficient than paper too, which can streamline operations for busy clinics. Healthcare professionals who are more concerned about this than sustainability can make an impact nonetheless by transitioning to a no-paper policy. There are plenty of consulting services that can help them discover how to make it a reality without compromising data or disrupting their day-to-day work.
Community Engagement
Cities across the country are going greener by setting up recycling centers and making bike-friendly travel easily available to commuters. Health organizations can participate in their community to show that they care about the environment, too. They can make earth-friendly volunteer opportunities available to employees by asking them to participate in donation drives or marathons to help non-profits. Perhaps they can offer a recycling bin in their lobby, hallway or cafeteria to give patients the option to recycle some of their trash. These small steps can make a difference.
Collaboration
It turns out that living a healthy and green lifestyle goes hand-in-hand. Professionals such as naturopaths who focus on curing ailments with vitamin supplementation and ancient practices can recommend suggestions to clients. Seeking out sustainable products can go a long way toward promoting a clinic’s values. Purchasing from green companies when sourcing products is an excellent way to ensure that a business is doing everything it can to protect mother earth.
Creating a vitamin or herb product requires sourcing ingredients from manufacturers and farmers. Buyers can find products that are sustainably sourced to truly expose their patients to companies that prove that good health doesn’t have to come at the sacrifice of the environment. They can find information about products from companies’ websites or by calling their customer service team.
Going green doesn’t have to be stressful. Healthcare organizations that make the effort to become more sustainable earn the respect of patients and employees.
