Mission is working to protect the environment and to provide environmentally friendly  services and facilities for our patients, visitors, and staff.  Below are some of the things being done in just a few departments.

Expanding our Fleet of Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Mission uses several types of alternative fuel vehicles that have less impact on the environment than traditional gasoline vehicles. Our fleet includes:

• 8 CNG Honda Civic GXs
• 1 hybrid Ford Escape
• 3 GEM electric vehicles

Alternative fuels decrease the amount of toxic air pollutants released into the air. Natural gas vehicles cuts toxic soot pollution by 75-90%; electric vehicles are zero emission vehicles. Mission plans to replace as many vehicles as possible with CNG.  It's not always easy: there are limited types and numbers of CNG vehicles available, and concerns with availability of fueling stations.  Still, Mission plans to replace several vehicles this fiscal year with CNG or other alternative fuel vehicles.

Mission worked with the City of Asheville in building its CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) fueling station and is involved in the Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition. Melanie Rice, Mission's Fleet Manager, is Mission's representative. Mission Hospital was a sponsor for the March 2008 Natural Gas Vehicles Seminar held at Lutheridge Conference Center.

Mission is finding ways to "go green" when we plan and build new facilities and renovate the ones we have. The use of environmentally-friendly materials benefits our patients, visitors, and staff, while it minimizes our impact on the environment and the surrounding community.  We strive to:

• Choose materials with minimal impact on the environment, such as locally quarried stone and locally produced brick. 
• Use materials that can be easily maintained without harmful chemicals.
• Meet or exceed the building code for energy utilization when we construct new facilities.
• Use new awareness about the power of healing environments as we plan spaces, for example the garden outside the Owen Heart Center and the water feature in the lobby renovation at Memorial Campus.
• Understand the impact of the quality of light and air in a building on patient healing and employee productivity, absenteeism and retention.  
• Pursue the standards of LEED certification - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - in new construction. These are sanctioned by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Operations and Maintenance

Mission, like all hospitals, consumes a great deal of energy due to our size, 24-7 operation, and specialized heating and cooling requirements for different spaces. To address this challenge, we commissioned the Preliminary Energy Assessment in 1996, and carried out a number of energy conservation opportunities that were identified:  

--       Focus on changes that bring a quick return in investment, and those which can be executed without disrupting our patient care. We now use 23% less energy on utilities than we were in 1996. Our goal is to further reduce our energy consumption by 30 to 35% by 2020.

--       Adopted the Green Lights Program, sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which addresses critical issues of energy efficiency, pollution prevention, and economic competitiveness. Mission has upgraded with energy-efficient lighting technologies that can dramatically reduce energy consumption while delivering the same or better quality lighting.

• Replacing fluorescent bulbs with more efficient electronic ballast and bulb reducing energy consumption by 30%.
• Placing LED fixtures in all EXIT signs, reducing energy consumption by 60%. 

--       Use of "Soft Start" devices that let motors start slowly instead of with a sudden, power-consuming surge. These devices are energy efficient and reduce motor heat, vibration and noise.

--     Mission's parking decks are being painted with a waterproofing white sealant allowing for better lighting in the parking decks and reducing the need for higher wattage bulbs

--       Working on a partnership with Progress Energy to help fund Mission's energy conservation program. 

Environmental Services (Housekeeping)

Environmental Services is managed by ARAMARK Company, which is a member of the U.S Green Building Council and partners with Energy Star, Environmental Choice, and the U.S. EPA Design for the Environment.  ARAMARK partners with various manufacturers to provide a variety of environmentally friendly products.

Energy-conserving measures include:

• Use of reusable mops and micro-fiber pads. These are available through the Cooperative Laundry Service.
• Use of enMotion paper towels and dispensers. The enMotion system uses 25% less paper that traditional towels.
• Use of toilet tissue with 20% post-consumer recycled fiber. 
• Recycling of all hospital cardboard.
• Shredding and recycling of all hospital confidential paper documents

There is currently limited plastic recycling due to cost, however there is potential to expand this in the near future. 

• Aluminum cans are being considered for recycling. 
• The potential for plastic and cans recycling is being investigated thoroughly to develop a system that is efficient and cost-effective for Mission.

Mission uses Green Seal approved cleaning products which have a reduced effect on the health and environment compared to competing products that serve the same purpose.  Our approved products include floor and wall cleaners, all-purpose cleaner, and floor stripper and finish.  Green Seal approved products increases health and wellbeing of patients, visitors, and staff and improve the environment by:

• reducing toxic pollution and waste
• conserving resources and habitats
• minimizing global warming and ozone depletion

Environmentally preferable cleaning equipment used at Mission include the Tennant 1610 Carpet Extractor, 6100 Sweeper, and T7 Floor Scrubber.

•·          This equipment is part of the Tennant Green Cleaning Product Line. It allows for greater efficiency and environmental health by using up to 70% less water and reducing detergent packaging. Dust control systems improve indoor air quality.

Laundry Services 

The Laundry department began making changes in 1992 in efforts to maintain a more environmentally friendly process. 

•  A home washer uses about five gallons of water per pound of laundry, our machines use about one.
•  A water reuse system allows for laundry equipment and setup to continuously recycle water.   
•  Environmentally friendly bleach
•  Work closely with the Metropolitan Sewage district to ensure compliance with our effluent as it relates  to  pH and temperature
•  Worn out textiles are recycled by providing them to various charities.  
•  Plastic laundry bags are used, bailed after use, melted down, and made into new ones.
•  A low pH, low temperature wash process was implemented in September 2008.  This will reduce energy demand, water use and the pH of sewer effluent, resulting in a more energy conscience process with reduced environmental impact. This is accomplished through the use of enzymes reducing the need for sodium hydroxide.

Food and Nutrition

Food and Nutrition is continually making efforts to supporting a greener environment, and it is now becoming a reality. Mission Hospitals will be one of the leaders in North Carolina Healthcare settings to make this transition.

• Food and Nutrition Services receives fat containers to discard deep fat fryer oils from Blue Ridge Bio Fuels.  This, in turn, is used to produce Bio Fuel. 
• Large aluminum food cans and plastic containers used for food production are recycled.   
• Both Mission Café 509 and 428 utilize china and silverware to help the cause to reduce disposables.
• As of October 2008, ARAMARK environmentally friendly brown Grab and Go Green Bags are available to purchase at our registers in Café 509 and Café 428. (The bags are made out from recycled materials)
• As of September 2008, Food and Nutrition has switched from foam takeout containers to Environware © BIODEGRADABLE containers.