This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links.
We’re hearing a lot in the news lately about global warming and how we, as humans, are damaging our precious planet. When I listen to these reports, the problem sometimes seems overwhelming. What can I, as one person, do to make a difference?
There’s a lot we can do, and we can begin at the nursing home. According to the CDC, there are approximately 17,000 nursing homes in the United States. Imagine if every one of them made a commitment to help protect our planet. We could make a tremendous difference!
Here’s how to get started:
1. Form a Green Team composed of multidisciplinary staff, volunteers, residents, and family members who care about the environment. They’ll lead the way in taking steps to help your nursing home “go green”.
2. Hold a brainstorming session with your residents and come up with ways they can help conserve natural resources. Simple things like turning off lights when they leave their room, or turning off the water while they brush their teeth, can make a big difference over time.
3. Find local stores willing to donate reusable shopping bags and pass them out to your staff. We’ve had the most success getting bags from grocery stores and banks. You can also use the reusable bags in your nursing home gift shop.
4. Provide bins so residents and staff can recycle common items such as newspapers, magazines, soda cans, and plastic bottles. If your city doesn’t offer curbside pickup, find a volunteer or two who can bring the items to a nearby collection center.
5. If you can get money for cans or plastic bottles in your community, use the funds for special activities for your residents. Or, you could donate the money to a charity chosen by your residents and/or staff.
6. Invite someone from your local recycling center to talk with your residents about what happens to the items they toss in the recycling bins. For example, did you know plastic bottles can become outdoor furniture, shoes, backpacks, and dog collars?
7. Plant a community garden and use the produce to supplement meals for your residents. You can probably find a local garden club eager to help with your project.
8. Check into the possibility of food waste composting, then use the compost to fertilize your community garden. Your local extension service can help you get this project started.
9. Educate staff on simple ways they can “go green” at home. You can do this by sponsoring a lunch & learn, sending out tips via email, or hosting a booth if your nursing home sponsors an annual employee education fair.
10. Be sure to do something special for Earth Day each year on April 22. (Do you celebrate Earth Day in your senior living community? I would love to see your suggestions in the comment section.)
11. Invite staff to share selfies of themselves “going green” at home. Hold a random drawing and award a few fun prizes. Consider environmentally friendly prizes like reusable silicone lunch bags or wool dryer balls.
12. Encourage staff to carpool. Better yet, if safety and weather allow it, encourage staff to walk or ride their bikes to work. With today’s high gas prices, they’ll save money while saving the environment.
13. Most utility companies offer free energy audits. Arrange one in conjunction with your maintenance department and learn new ways to save energy in your building.
14. Brainstorm ways to upcycle items for resident craft projects. You can begin with these terrific ideas from the Needlepointers website.
15. Find out what other senior care communities in your area are doing to protect the environment. We all share the same planet, so let’s share ideas, too!
16. Wherever possible, use eco-friendly products in your nursing home. This could include everything from cleaning products to bathing products.
17. Encourage staff to bring reusable water bottles or coffee mugs to work to cut down on the use of plastic or styrofoam.
18. Look for ways to share documents between employees rather than printing individual copies. Better yet, create digital copies that staff can access from their computers.
19. Encourage staff to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Catch random staff using the stairs and reward them with a little treat.
20. Provide a suggestion box where employees can drop off ideas for helping your nursing home become more environmentally friendly. Offer a prize when their suggestion is implemented.
What other tips can you offer to help nursing homes save our planet? Please share in the comment section!
Leave a Reply