Reusable grocery bags given to hospital staff

Scottsdale Healthcare shows commitment to improving the environment

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Scottsdale Healthcare’s 7,300 employees and volunteers are receiving reusable grocery bags this week as part of the hospitals’ commitment to reducing waste and improving the environment.

Made from recycled material, the white and purple bags benefit Mother Earth by helping prevent plastic and paper bags from ending up in landfills or consuming energy during recycling.

“Scottsdale Healthcare is committed to being a green and sustainable organization. We continue to explore effective ways to be more earth-friendly and encourage our valued staff members, volunteers and physicians to do the same,” said Tom Sadvary, president and CEO.

“Using this bag on every shopping trip may seem like a small step to take, but when we all take it together, it can have a big impact,” noted Sadvary.

As Scottsdale’s largest employer, Scottsdale Healthcare has taken numerous steps to become more energy efficient and reduce waste, including:

• Installing solar-powered gates for physician parking lots
• Using electric vehicles at all three hospital campuses
• Discontinuing use of styrofoam cups and containers in hospital cafeterias
• Installing energy-efficient lighting
• Reducing natural gas consumption by 10% in its power plants
• Replacing 300 copiers with models using 40% less energy
• Eliminating 200,000 printed payroll notices, saving $150,000 annually
• Reducing yearly CO2 use by 1,840,100 pounds through the Greenhouse Gases Reduction Initiative
• Supporting alternative transportation with van pools and bus passes for employees
• Installing bicycle lockers for employees at all three Scottsdale Healthcare hospitals
• Establishing a Green and Sustainability Committee of employees and volunteers
• Reusing, selling or donating thousands of surplus items rather than hauling them to a landfill

Valley Metro honored Scottsdale Healthcare with five awards in 2008 for its commitment to improving air quality – Outstanding Leadership, Outstanding Vanpooler, Outstanding Trip Reduction Program, Outstanding Marketing and Creativity, and Outstanding Bike Program.

“From reducing waste and power consumption to supporting alternative transportation, Scottsdale Healthcare is dedicated to initiatives that benefit our planet and more importantly, our future,” said Sadvary.

The reusable grocery bags also will be given to community members attending upcoming Scottsdale Healthcare-sponsored health events.

Published on behalf of Scottsdale Healthcare
Scottsdale Healthcare (www.shc.org) is the not-for-profit parent organization of Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center, Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Hospital, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center, Scottsdale Clinical Research Institute, TGen Clinical Research Services at Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale Healthcare Home Health Services, Scottsdale Healthcare Community Health Services, NOAH Clinics and Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation. Scottsdale Healthcare ER wait times are updated every three minutes at www.fastERtimes.org.

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