Recognition Award for its efforts to reduce waste and energy consumption.
By Kenita Gordon, Public Affairs Officer
April 19, 2019 – A national nonprofit organization focused on environmental stewardship has recently awarded the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center for their efforts to create a greener workplace.
Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care recognized the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center for its achievements in waste and energy use reduction with the 2019 Practice Greenhealth Partner Recognition Award. The award is one of the Environmental Excellence Awards given each year to honor environmental achievements in the health care sector.
“Our team works diligently to find innovative ways to maintain environmental responsibility,” said Medical Center Director Donna Katen-Bahensky. “We are proud to be recognized for our efforts to minimize our carbon footprint leaving our world cleaner and safer for future generations of Veterans and their families.”
The Partner Recognition Award recognizes health care facilities that have a commitment to environmental improvements and have achieved progress in several areas of the organization.
Green Environmental Management System Program Manager Raphael Ciano (center) pictured holding the Practice Greenhealth Partner for Change Award for 2018 alongside Assistant Director Maria Nguyen (left) and Director Donna Katen-Bahensky. The medical center was recognized for the prestigious award for its work to reduce its environmental footprint. (Photo by Joanne Deithorn)
In fiscal year 2018 the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center diverted 686.08 tons of material and 392.72 tons of construction waste. Because of these activities, the Medical Center diverted 53.4 percent of the waste generated from being sent to the county solid waste authority for final disposal. These activities resulted in the saving of the Environmental Protection Agency equivalent of approximately 87,000 gallons of gasoline – reducing the demand for approximately 1,800 barrels of oil and saving approximately 9000 British Thermal Units (BTU) of energy. This benefitted the planet by reducing the generation of greenhouse gases by approximately 800 metric tons.
This is the third year in a row that the medical center has been recognized by Practice Greenhealth which will hold its Environmental Excellence Awards Gala on May 9 in Nashville, Tennessee.
For more information about the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center’s environmental efforts visit its Sustainability Program page.
About Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading health care community dedicated to transforming health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability and a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice. To learn more about Practice Greenhealth visit
