CHW’s Ecological CHW’s Ecological Initiative: From the Initiative: From the

BeginningBeginning

Catholic Health EastCatholic Health East

TeleconferenceTeleconference

May 15, 2007May 15, 2007

Mary Ellen Leciejewski, OP Keith Callahan

Lay the FoundationLay the Foundation

• Tap into your missionTap into your mission

• Secure leadership commitmentSecure leadership commitment

• Create Eco Teams Create Eco Teams

• Develop plan & policiesDevelop plan & policies

• Set goals Set goals

• Track and reportTrack and report

• Celebrate successesCelebrate successes

NaturalResources

Goods andServices

Pollution, Waste and Environmental

Disturbances

Healthcare’s Huge Environmental Impact

Reduce Medical WasteReduce Medical Waste

•Reusable Reusable sharps sharps containerscontainers

•Medical device Medical device reprocessingreprocessing

•Multiple Multiple suction roverssuction rovers

Reduce energy & water Reduce energy & water useuse

•Tracking Tracking greenhouse greenhouse gassesgasses

•Micro-fiber Micro-fiber mopsmops

•Digital x ray Digital x ray machinesmachines

Eliminate/Reduce ToxicsEliminate/Reduce Toxics

•MercuryMercury

•PVC/DEHPPVC/DEHP

•E-wasteE-waste

Support sustainable designSupport sustainable design

•Healthy Healthy buildingbuilding

•Food/food Food/food productionproduction

ChallengesChallenges

• CostsCosts

• Lack of space, time, personnelLack of space, time, personnel

• Clarify best practice for recycling & disposalClarify best practice for recycling & disposal

• Educating staffEducating staff

• Keeping up staff enthusiasmKeeping up staff enthusiasm

• Green purchasing (finding products that work)Green purchasing (finding products that work)

• Lack of haulers in certain geographical areaLack of haulers in certain geographical area

The “Real” DefinitionEnvironmentally

preferable purchasing means:

Buying less polluting products and services

from less polluting companies.