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Kaiser Permanente Pledges Major Reduction in Greenhouse Gases

February 29, 2012 — As part of its ongoing commitment to improve the health of the communities it serves, Kaiser Permanente announced today that it is rolling out an aggressive strategy to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020, compared with its 2008 levels. The strategy includes plans to invest in clean and renewable energy sources while also targeting energy conservation measures.
February 29, 2012

February 29, 2012 — As part of its ongoing commitment to improve the health of the communities it serves, Kaiser Permanente announced today that it is rolling out an aggressive strategy to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020, compared with its 2008 levels. The strategy includes plans to invest in clean and renewable energy sources while also targeting energy conservation measures.

By reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and trimming overall energy consumption, Kaiser Permanente expects to minimize its greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change and the rise of pollution and disease.

“Kaiser Permanente is committed to creating a total health environment in all the communities we serve,” said Andrew McCulloch, president of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan of the Northwest. “Part of the concept of spreading health is to reduce the carbon footprint in our own operations.”

Health care activities as a whole contribute 8 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions produced in the United States. Across its eight regions, Kaiser Permanente registered approximately 819,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions during its baseline year (2008), and total emissions increased to 837,000 metric tons in 2010, the most recently reported year. By 2020, Kaiser Permanente aims to reduce its current rate of annual emissions by about 264,000 metric tons to achieve the 30 percent reduction target.

Here in the Northwest, the initiative to reduce greenhouse gases is evident at Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center, now under construction in Hillsboro. The 126-bed facility, set to open in 2013, will be the first LEED Gold certified hospital in the Portland metro area. Kaiser Permanente is using all renewable energy from PGE for the construction, and will rely on green power for much of the energy once the hospital opens. Other features at the hospital that will help Kaiser Permanente reduce greenhouse gases are high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, solar panels on the parking garage, and an innovative program to re-use the steam created to sterilize surgical instruments to heat the building.  

“The potential contribution that the Kaiser Westside Medical Center will make in reducing greenhouse gases is projected to be just over 11,900 metric tons per year,” said Dan Green, head of the green power initiatives at the hospital. “According to EPA data, that’s the equivalent of taking 1,000 cars off the road for a full year, every year, permanently.”

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/02/2012 - 10:45 Permalink

Kudos to Kaiser for its leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Health care costs can be reduced by reducing air pollution that increases the incidence of asthma, COPD and heart disease. By being a GHG leader, you also show leadership in preventative health care in Oregon. And the use of solar power will reduce health care costs.