Penn Medicine recently joined a federal climate change initiative and plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030, writes Sarah Gantz for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Penn joined over 130 healthcare organizations that have signed on to the Health Sector Climate Pledge since the voluntary commitment was created by the White House and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2022. The pledge calls on healthcare organizations to completely eliminate their greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The Philadelphia-based health system with six hospitals and over 150 properties plans to work towards this goal by investing in solar power and using recycled materials for new buildings, as well as reducing medical waste and providing its employees with incentives for using public transit instead of a car.
“We’re taking a step back now to consider how to best deliver care while also balancing the ecological impact for the long-term health of our patients, the communities we serve, and the generations that will follow,” said Kevin B. Mahoney, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
Penn Medicine produces over 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, and expects to cut 50,000 by transitioning many of its Philadelphia buildings to solar power.
Read more about Penn Medicine’s efforts to go green at The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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