Springfield, Urbana Mercy Health recognized for environmental efforts

Mercy Health – Springfield completed a new community garden on its campus this year. CONTRIBUTED

Mercy Health – Springfield completed a new community garden on its campus this year. CONTRIBUTED

Bon Secours Mercy Health was recognized for its commitment to protecting the environment and community health by a hospital sustainability organization.

According to a release, Practice Greenhealth recognized Mercy Health - Springfield and Urbana with the Partner Recognition award, which recognized hospitals “that are working cohesively to set system-wide sustainability goals, track performance data, benchmark, and support intra-organizational learning and implementation within their institutions.”

“I am very grateful for all the many diligent efforts exerted to once again achieve this significant recognition and move this important work forward. We are unified in a shared concern for Earth and all its inhabitants. I feel blessed to be part of an organization doing its part to care for our common home,” said Noah Dunlap, vice president of insights and innovation at Bon Secours Mercy Health and Advantus Health Partners.

According to the release, 31 hospitals in the Bon Secours Mercy Health system were recognized for their environmental initiatives.

Mercy Health - Springfield completed a community garden on campus this year, providing food to local food banks and employees. In 2022, its composting program kept 66,228 pounds of food waste out of the landfill.

The hospital also worked with Medline ReNewal to restore medical devices instead of replacing them, reducing medical waste, according to the release. This led to a savings of almost $33,000.

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