by Kai Abelkis, BCH Sustainability Coordinator

In celebration of Earth Day 2018 on April 22, Boulder Community Health is taking two additional steps toward our goal of zero-waste and a healthier community:

1) a discount for those who use their own coffee mugs, and

2) converting to compostable cutlery in the cafeteria!

As a health care organization, BCH strives to be a shining example that implementing sustainable measures is possible with the support of employees pitching in where we can.

BCH provides an annual local Food Truck lunch, EcoPasses, donates medical supplies & equipment to Project C.U.R.E., reuses and donates furniture, and composts food and yard waste.

We recycle bottles & cans, cardboard, batteries, and toner cartridges. And the crown of our achievements is building the very first L.E.E.D. certified hospital and installing solar panels.

We also harvest our own vegetables in the summer on a rooftop garden at our Foothills Medical Campus.

Thanks to input from our staff, we will take additional steps on our journey toward zero-waste by incentivizing people to use their own coffee mugs and converting to compostable cutlery in the cafeteria.

Effective Sunday, April 22 (Earth Day 2018):

• For all those java drinkers, you will receive a .25 cent discount if you fill up your personal coffee mug.

• Just like the compostable to-go containers, there will be a .05 cent charge for each disposable compostable utensil. (Metal, reusable ones are still free!) These new disposable utensils may be placed in our compost bins to be processed into healthy and rich compost by A1 Organics.

This is a remarkable commitment by our Aramark partner in Food and Nutrition and another small step we can take toward a healthier community. Thank you again for your continued support and commitment to sustainability.

Happy Earth Day!