Lincoln Memorial Hospital recognized as ‘Climate Champion’

[December 19, 2022] 

Lincoln Memorial Hospital was named a 2022 Climate Champion by Health Care Without Harm, a national organization that annually recognizes health care groups who take steps to reduce their carbon footprint.

As a participant in Health Care Without Harm’s Health Care Climate Challenge, the nonprofit hospital received silver awards for greenhouse gas reduction and climate resilience.

“We are honored to receive these awards and to be a part of a global community of health care institutions on every continent leading the transformation to climate-smart health care,” said Dolan Dalpoas, president and CEO of Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

During 2022, LMH saved more than 2 tons of plastic from the landfills with a new sharps container recycling system. LMH recycled 3 tons of computers and electronics and diverted nearly 19 tons of material from landfills using single-stream recycling.

LMH’s energy cost-saving initiatives result in approximately $70,000 in savings each year. Those initiatives include swapping out light bulbs – including the halogen lights in the parking lots – for LED bulbs and turning down the thermostats in unoccupied patient rooms.

In addition, the LMH cafeteria has reduced food waste by repackaging unpurchased food left from lunch to provide meals for staff working overnight shifts. The hospital also installed a rain monitoring system to better gauge how much water is needed to maintain landscaping, as well as high-efficiency boilers.

The Health Care Climate Challenge has more than 300 participants, representing the interests of more than 28,000 hospitals and health centers in 40 countries, according to Health Care Without Harm’s website.

[Angie Muhs]