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The San Francisco Veterans Medical Center (SFVAMC) and six other Community Based Outpatient Clinics have stepped up efforts to become more environmentally friendly in their hospital and business practices. Among the green initiatives underway are plans to utilize solar energy to power electric vehicles and a wind turbine to power lighting fixtures, install light efficient fixtures, and upgrade the main campus boilers to more efficient units. 

 These efforts will allow us to provide valuable services to our veterans while reducing or using cleaner energy sources resulting in lesser air emission and the betterment of our environment. In addition, the recycling program has been improved, including the management in clinical labs of certain waste solvents, and the purchasing of environmentally friendly products has been increased.   

These initiatives are part of a coordinated effort to help make the Veterans Integrated Service more sustainable through the work of the Green Team, which includes representatives from all six SFVAMC campuses.  “As a large network of medical centers serving over 2.5 million Veterans a year”.

SFVAMC recognizes the impact it can have on the environment, especially the surrounding neighborhoods, by implementing more green practices.  The Green Team aims to promote sustainable practices by employees both at work, and at home, and integrate green business and medical practices into the Veterans’ healthcare administration.