Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) received the the 2021 Environmental Excellence Award from Practice Greenhealth, an organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in health care. The award is given annually to honor health care's achievements in sustainability.
To be recognized, Coatesville VAMC needed to demonstrate continuous improvement and expansion of programs intended to lower energy and water consumption, reduce and recycle waste, source products sustainably, establish environmentally preferable purchasing criteria, and more.
Of note this year was the tree management and storm water project. This effort came about when storm water erosion was detected at the foundations of the residential patient buildings, causing water infiltration, and the storm drains often deteriorated and collapsed.
Work began in 2019 and included installing infiltration trenches to redirect excess water and revitalize local aquifers. Five rain gardens were created, 35 shade trees were removed and replaced with 120 trees, and more than 2,000 new plants appropriate for the location were added.
The project was completed in 2021 and also provides new sidewalks for better handicapped-accessibility throughout the area, and the basketball court supports veterans in long-term care by providing additional recreational activities.
The campus's Victory Garden has been around for five years and was expanded in 2020 after the donation of raised flowerbeds from an Eagle Scout project. Not only were veterans able to grow their own fruits and vegetables for use in the Healthy Teaching Kitchen cooking demonstrations, but Coatesville VAMC was able to donate 302 pounds of fresh produce to local food pantries through the Chester County Food Bank.
Coatesville VAMC has also reduced the amount of pharmaceuticals entering the environment through the sewer systems, replaced 13 vehicles with more greenhouse gas efficient models, and reduced the environmental impact of shipping costs by working with companies located closer to the facility.
Leave a Review