PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 26, 2024
Maine’s hospitals are launching key environmental sustainability initiatives, to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in the battle against climate change. Hospitals don’t display obvious signs of being polluters, but they are among the top energy users. Northern Light Health this year has eliminated the use of desflurane, an anesthetic gas that emits a tremendous amount of carbon dioxide. Northern Light’s initiatives to reduce emissions include using heat pumps to supplement or replace existing fossil fuel heating and cooling systems, replacing light bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs, composting food waste, converting gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles, and purchasing sustainable supplies. MaineHealth’s initiatives include replacing lighting with LED bulbs, insulating old pipes, using renewable energy sources for heating and cooling, electric vehicles, reducing food waste, and eliminating desflurane gas.