Y
ou have the power to create an environmentally respon-
sible surgical facility, and you won't have to install
rooftop gardens, solar panels or water-free urinals to do
so. Your greening efforts can start and stop in your oper-
ating rooms, home of the energy-sucking overhead lights
and land of the clean waste that somehow ends up in red bags. Here
are some simple ideas you can implement today that will instantly
make your facility a little more environ-
mentally responsible.
Segregating waste
ORs generate an enormous amount
of waste, most of which is generated
before the patient enters the room,
which means it's considered clean
waste and recyclable. This includes
plastic packaging and disposable
instruments, drapes and gowns, and
maybe even a pack of opened but
unused sponges from a canceled case
that took a wrong turn to the landfill.
If you don't have an intraoperative
G O I N G G R E E N
Tips for the
Sensible steps you can take today
to shrink your carbon footprint.
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