As we celebrate Earth Day April 22, we applaud all the hospitals and healthcare systems who are working to reduce their footprint and minimize waste. According to Healthcare Finance, hospitals produce more than 4.67 million tons of waste every year1.
Earth Day History
Founded in 1970, Earth Day began as a day of education about environmental issues. According to EarthDay.org, the event mobilizes over 1 billion people from 190 countries around the world each year. The theme for Earth Day this year is Invest in Our Planet. Read the complete history of Earth Day.
Caresfield Reducing Waste with GreenFuel™
We manufacture most of our labels in our Lakeville, Minnesota, headquarters. While we strive to be as efficient as possible with our raw materials, there is always some waste. To help reduce our footprint, we recycle all scrap materials from label production through GreenFuel™ technology. While these materials aren’t traditionally recyclable, this program converts waste into an alternative fuel source that burns cleaner than coal. Learn more on our corporate responsibility page.
How Can You Make a Difference?
Reusable Coffee Cups
Most of us struggle to get through the day without caffeine. Before you hit Starbucks or your favorite local coffee shop on the way to work, make sure you grab a reusable coffee cup. According to Waste Advantage Magazine, we throw out 50 billion paper coffee cups in the U.S. every year. Even when you throw these cups in the recycling bin, only about 1 in 400 cups get recycled because they are made of a mix of paper and plastic2.
Learn more about paper coffee cups, their composition and their impact on the environment at Good Start Packaging.
Avoid Plastic
While cutting down on to-go coffee cups is a great way to reduce waste on your way to work, one of the best ways you can impact the planet at home is to focus on reducing your reliance on plastic. According to Science Advances, 60 percent of all plastic ever produced has been discarded and is accumulating in landfills and in the natural environment3. The article goes on to state that recycling plastic only delays final disposal. Your best bet? Try to avoid plastic containers.
Instead of using plastic sandwich bags, consider using a reusable container. If you pack a lunch, try using a cooler instead of a disposable bag. When you go to the store, bring your own cloth bags. For more ways to reduce your plastic use, check out the article 51 Ways to reduce plastic use or completely eliminate it! from Reef Relief.
Looking to launch a recycling program for your hospital? Check out the article 5 ways hospitals can launch effective recycling programs for single-use products from GreenBiz. Happy Earth Day!
Sources
- Hospitals save millions with sustainability programs, cut back on waste Healthcare Finance, March 14, 2017.
- New Infographic Reveals the Waste Mountain of Coffee Cups We Produce Per Year, WasteAdvantage Magazine, Nov. 9, 2016
- Production, Use and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made Science Advances, July 19, 2017
