April 22, 2019
THEDACARE SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY AT A LOCAL LEVEL
Protecting Human Health and Environmental Quality
APPLETON, Wis. – Nearly 50 years ago, people around the world took part in the first-ever organized Earth Day. The day, celebrated on April 22, is now a global event every year, with an estimated one billion people involved.
As Earth Day is celebrated, at the local level, ThedaCare is committed to sustainability in our hospitals and clinics. For example, ThedaCare’s first Energy Star building was certified in 2017 and seven more buildings are certification eligible. Energy Star certified buildings generally use 35% less energy than other non-certified buildings. Cafeterias at ThedaCare Regional Medical Centers-Appleton and Neenah serve locally sourced produce and hormone and antibiotic free meat.
“Protecting human health and environmental quality in a responsible manner is what we aim to do,” said Jeanine Knapp, Sustainability Leader at ThedaCare. “It is important that while we offer the best care possible for patients and families, we continue to think about future generations.”
In early 2019, ThedaCare was one of 17 health systems in the country to sign a letter, urging the Environmental Protection Agency to protect public health by upholding strong limits on mercury and other toxic pollutants emitted from coal-fired power plants.
“The standards not only save lives, they also save billions of dollars in avoided costs associated with health impacts,” said Knapp. “ThedaCare leaders stand behind the efforts.”
Other forms of sustainability at ThedaCare:
- Participates on the Health Care Climate Council with 18 other health systems nationwide
- Monitors building energy use
- Tracks waste weight and cost
- Upgraded building lighting to LEDs reduces electricity use by up to 70%, saving money and carbon emissions to protect public health and reduce costs
- heats water with solar thermal energy at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton and ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca
- Composts kitchen waste at ThedaCare Regional Medical Centers-Appleton and Neenah
- Reduced cardboard use with reusable totes
- Diverted used furniture from the landfill, including bassinets, beds and recliners
- Recycles plastics from the operating rooms
- Recycles plastic packaging and bags at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton
- Sponsors the Fox Cities Loop the Lake Earth Day hike on April 20 and Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance Watershed Cleanup on April 27
About ThedaCare
For more than 110 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization serves a community of more than 600,000 residents and employs more than 6,700 healthcare professionals throughout the regions. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 31 clinics in nine counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service.
For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
Media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public Relations Specialist at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
