Seven Aspirus Health
hospitals have earned Practice Greenhealth’s 2022 Partner for Change Award in
recognition of their achievement and innovation in health care sustainability.
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental
sustainability in health care.
Aspirus hospitals
receiving the honor are:
- Aspirus
Langlade Hospital (Antigo, Wis.)
- Aspirus
Medford Hospital
- Aspirus
Riverview Hospital (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.)
- Aspirus
Ironwood Hospital
- Aspirus
Wausau Hospital
- Aspirus
Keweenaw Hospital
- Aspirus
Iron River Hospital
The Greenhealth
Partner for Change Award recognizes superior performance in environmental
sustainability, covering a range of different sustainability programs and
activities. Winners have also made substantive progress on mercury elimination.
“As a leader in the
communities we serve, Aspirus Health is concerned with the impact we have on
the environment and how this affects the health and safety of our patients,
employees, visitors and communities,” said Ali Wolf, System Director of
Sustainability for Aspirus.
In 2018, Aspirus
established the systemwide Aspirus Sustainability Initiative as a coordinated,
strategic effort to identify and put into practice sustainability measures to
improve the lives of patients and the health of communities. The strategies
include minimizing waste and improving recycling, addressing chemicals of
concern, lowering energy use and water consumption, sourcing food and products
sustainably, incorporating sustainable features into the buildings and grounds,
establishing environmentally preferable purchasing criteria, shifting fleet
vehicles to a cleaner and lower carbon fleet, and more.
“We’re making
terrific strides toward reducing our impact on the environment and we’re
committed to doing even more,” says Wolf.
“In a shifting
health care landscape, a focus on sustainability can help build resilience
while better protecting the health of patients and the community,” said Gary
Cohen, Practice Greenhealth founder. “Aspirus Langlade, Medford, Riverview,
Ironwood, Wausau, Keweenaw and Iron River Hospitals demonstrate the kind of
leadership, innovation and performance that can drive the entire health sector
toward more environmentally responsible practices.”
Four years into its
program, Aspirus Health has realized energy savings of $1,068,307 and a carbon
reduction of 13,209 MtCo2 (metric tons of carbon dioxide) in addition to
recognition by Practice Greenhealth, Arbor Day – Healthcare Tree campus, RENEW
Wisconsin and the City of Wausau for successes earned by program. Aspirus
Health has installed 1.7 MW of rooftop solar to support its pursuit of clean
and sustainable energy to feed its business operations.