Writer’s Note: This is the second in a series on recycling and environmental topics at BBGH.
On a hot, sunny summer afternoon I had nearly emptied cardboard from a container behind a restaurant when the work phone rang: Box Butte General Hospital was donating office furniture to Keep Alliance Beautiful. Two chairs fit with my load in the newer pickup and we managed to load both desks end-to-end in the older pickup with the help of its lift. Now in storage at the recycling center, the donation will help furnish our new space at the City Municipal Building when KAB relocates its downtown office in the coming weeks.
The donation came to mind as I talked to Jim Bargen, BBGH chief operations officer and KAB board member, recently about how the hospital embraces the three R’s – reduce, reuse, recycle. Although staff is unable to reuse much in the process of caring for patients, Jim explained that they do a good job with furniture and medical supplies. “We donate a lot to Orphan Grain Train. They will load up a semi trailer,” he said. “Reducing can be tough (especially) with the supply chain over the last two years.” Employees have been more mindful of practices such as how much they are printing when paper could be saved by utilizing email. The hospital continues to upgrade electronic health records, which Bargen said will change a lot of work flows, “a lot will go away from paper.”
The Sustainability Committee keeps the three R’s at the forefront with a weekly internal newsletter. They conducted a five-point sustainability challenge, targeting things like single use cups, cutlery and plastic straws, for employees for a month around this past Earth Day. About 30 people took part. Participants received reusable/recycled versions of the the items they had become more aware of, including a tableware suit comprised of 20-30% reclaimed wheat stock.
Sustainability progress is quantified by measuring how much staff throws away. “We keep track of our waste overall,” Jim said. Staff estimates the volume in the dumpsters each day before they’re taken to estimate success. Hazardous waste goes to Lincoln where it is shredded and processed.
Environmental Services (EVS) collects recycling and rubbish. There is some customization in each department for recycling with general bins in the hallways and smaller containers in each patient’s room that are emptied when they leave.”We try to make it accessible for everybody – make it easier,” Jim said.
Keep Alliance Beautiful has also given hospital employees an opportunity to bring recycling from home. Educating staff on what is recyclable has been an ongoing process. If something we cannot accept shows up in their trailer, Jim is typically the one who communicates the error. “If we’re seeing something over and over it might be an opportunity for education,” he said.
Keep Alliance Beautiful also works with the hospital to stay in the public eye through BBGH’s quarterly publication, “The Scope.” The hospital has supported KAB’s mission through involvement on our board. Jim has served for about four years. “We have had somebody on the board for a long time,” he said. “It’s been a real good relationship I feel like.”