Four Carilion Offices Achieve Green Office Certification!
The Sustainability Department recently launched the Greening the Office Certification program. To apply for this certification, departments must complete a robust application that asks for information, examples and details on how the office is promoting and engaging in sustainable practices in the following categories: Energy, Air & Water, Waste & Recycling, Transportation, and Employee Engagement. Offices achieve either Silver or Gold level certification, depending on their score.
Four offices received certification this year! Read about just some of the things each office did to earn their certification and congratulate them in the comments.
1212 3rd Street - Human Resources – Gold Level Certification
This office formed a sustainability committee, developed a sustainability work plan through September 2023, started an office newsletter, eliminated plastic water bottle usage, and held a “Bring Your Own Cups and Containers” competition where anyone spotted using a reusable container was entered into drawing for a sustainable prize.
1202 3rd Street - Community Health and Outreach – Gold Level Certification
This department participates in multiple recycling programs (cardboard, comingled), eliminated the use of Styrofoam by stocking their kitchen with reusable service ware, encourages carpooling and advanced meeting planning to reduce the number of travel trips, and has integrated sustainability into their office culture through education.
701 Randolph Street, Suite 110 - CNRV Carilion Clinic Hospice and Home Health Admin – Silver Level Certification
This suite displays signage to remind staff to turn lights and monitors off when not in use, unplug non-essential devices, and wash hands with cold water to save energy. They also provide reusable service ware to reduce waste and have set sustainability goals for the coming year, including to implement recycling and identify a local group to donate unneeded office supplies to.
1906 Belleview Ave – 1 West Administration Suite – Silver Level Certification
This department has reduced unnecessary energy consumption through removing old and no longer needed equipment and by switching off lights in offices and hallways that are not in use. The office participates in cardboard and comingled recycling, uses a water cooler to reduce plastic water bottle use, and employees try to walk or carpool to meetings when able.
Congratulations to all teams! Certification lasts for two years. Applications will open again in September 2023. In the meantime, you can learn more about the program here or by reaching out to Marina Sotelo (mcsotelo@carilionclinic.org).
