The Aspirus Sustainability Initiative
As a leader in the communities we serve, Aspirus is committed to being economically, socially and environmentally responsible. The Aspirus Sustainability Initiative was established in 2018 as a coordinated, strategic effort to identify and implement sustainability initiatives intended to improve the lives of our patients and the health of our communities. This initiative is in direct alignment with our mission: We heal people, promote health and strengthen communities.
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Our initial long-term goals are:
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2023
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2025
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2030
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Reduce Carbon Footprint
(Scope 2 - 80% reduction by 2030)
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13,092
metric tons
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19,632
metric tons
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36,000
metric tons
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Reduce Energy Costs
(50% reduction by 2030)
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$2 million
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$3 million
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$4 million
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Top Performance within
Practice Green Health
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75th percentile
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50th percentile
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25th percentile
(top tier)
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Impact
Click the infographics to view larger.
Celebrating Sustainability at Aspirus
Fiscal Year 2021 (July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021)
Fiscal Year 2020 (July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020)
Fiscal Year 2019 (July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019)
Climate Champion
Presented by the committee that oversees Aspirus Health's system-wide sustainability efforts, the Climate Champion award recognizes employees who identify and implement sustainable practices, and demonstrate leadership and innovation within their department through:
- Reducing waste (material, energy, water, carbon equivalents and more).
- Improving the patient experience and employee safety.
- Supporting operational performance.
Awards are presented in two categories: Clinical and Non-clinical.
In honor of their remarkable efforts, recipients each receive five trees planted in their name in the Superior National Forest.
Climate Champion (July 2022)
Stephanie Dulak, RN, Emergency Department Manager
Aspirus Wausau Hospital
Stephanie earned the Climate Champion (clinical) award for identifying and leading a project to reduce the amount of waste the emergency department generates by replacing single-use, disposable EKG leads with reusable ones. EKG leads are attached to patients' chests for use in monitoring the electrical activity of the heart. Rather than throwing out these leads after each patient, the reusable EKG leads are thoroughly cleaned and then reused.
This project allows the emergency department to:
- Cut down on its landfill waste by about 14,400 pounds a year.
- Save $46,000 in supply costs a year.
- Receive less of the unnecessary packaging supplies come in.
- Avoid carbon emissions associated with transporting supplies for delivery or disposal.
Click here to read more about Stephanie and her commitment to sustainability.
Past recipients:
- March 2022 - Melody Dearth, Director of Facilities and Support Services, Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics - Non-clinical award
- February 2022 - Jaclyn Zastrow, Senior Executive Assistant, Aspirus Corporate Administration - Non-clinical award
- November 2021 - Billie Schilling, RN, Aspirus Medford Hospital Operating Room - Clinical award