Montefiore Medical Center is leading by example to show the community how we can do our part to save the Earth and go green.
The second annual ‘Green Expo 2009,’ Earth Day celebration at Montefiore invited staff and community member to learn the positive changes occurring within the hospital and how to adopt these changes in their own homes.
On Wednesday, April 22 Montefiore hosted a number of vendors providing insight into energy saving products and techniques, recycling systems, water conservation methods, green maintenance supplies, waterless hand hygiene, and energy saving motion censor technology.
“This is our second annual expose on energy saving. Last year it was a great success, and this year we have 9 vendors displaying their products,” said Paul Ammirato, director of engineering operations.
“At Montefiore we are very focused on going green. The impact is important in the surrounding community because we are all in this together.”
Each of the vendors had some inclusion in the new green bathroom, located in the Moses Division, which appropriately celebrated its completion and ribbon cutting that day.
The bathroom used recycled material during construction, contains automatic 7-Watt LED light fixtures saving approximately 3 million watts per year, a sensor water faucet, a waterless urinal that saves approximately 40,000 gallons of water per year, and an air hand drier to eliminate wasteful paper towels.
“The bathroom was designed to be touchless, preventing the spread of germs,” said Anthony Tesoriero, director of real estate at Montie.
The bathroom even includes a Purell hand sanitizer dispenser next to the door to cleanse your hands after touching the handle.
Tesoriero explained that as new, more efficient, products develop they will update the bathroom to remain a top-of-the-line facility, with three solar panels expected to be installed in the upcoming weeks to power the facility.
Additionally, the Montefiore Bike-to-Work Team has been encouraging the use of biking to work through incentives, such as designated bike parking, a list of places associates can shower and refresh, an Internet site on various biking trails, and a service that pairs you up with another associate to ride to work with until the employee is comfortable enough to go on their own.
“We encourage the bike riding movement at Montefiore as an alternative means of getting to work,” said Nicole Hollingsworth.
“It is also an effective way of tackling some of the obesity problems in the borough and a fun way to get fit.”
