SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
(L–R): Johan Setiawan (South Sydney Operations – OzHarvest),
Adrian Revie (Operations Manager – Hospitality Services, St George
Private Hospital), Suz Revie (PA to the CEO, St George Private
Hospital), Roberto Junior (OzHarvest), Harvey Pembroke (Juice For
Good Operations Manager), Jimmy Udin (Juice for Good)
Hollywood saves more than 4 million km with TravelSmart program
Hollywood Private Hospital has reduced car travel by more than four million kilometres over 15 years through its TravelSmart program, which provides staff with
incentives to take alternative modes of transport to work.
The program started in 2004 with 58 participants who
avoided 23,000km of car travel in the first year. In 2019 the
number had grown to 430 enrolled participants of which
some 253 avoided taking 28,000 car trips or 524,277km
of car travel.
Hollywood Chief Executive Officer, Peter Mott, said the
program encouraged staff to commute via carpooling,
walking, riding a bike, public transport, or being dropped off.
“Clocking over the four million mark is a huge achievement
in terms of taking cars off the road in an area that can be
very busy with hospital and residential traffic,” Mr Mott said.
“Parking is at a premium in most hospitals in Australia so
cycling offers a good alternative to driving, and it helps
alleviate traffic problems more broadly.”
Mr Mott said that Hollywood and Ramsay Health Care
had a strong focus on the health and wellbeing of staff,
and the environment.
“As Hollywood continues to expand, I would expect the
TravelSmart program to grow, particularly thanks to investment
in end-of-trip facilities for cyclists and walkers, and improved
public transport links,” he said.
“We are adding parking capacity as part of that expansion
particularly for patients, but our commitment to reducing our
carbon footprint and supporting alternative ways for people
to get to work will continue.”
10 The Ramsay Way 2020 | 01
Juicy new trial puts focus on sustainability
at St George Private Hospital
St George Private Hospital has become the first health care site in Australia to trial a new juice vending
machine, saving imperfect produce from going into landfill.
The machine uses only blemished oranges from Australian
farmers to make freshly squeezed juice. It was installed by
social enterprise start-up Juice For Good.
St George Private Hospital CEO, Peter Ridley, said it has been
a great addition to the hospital and has so far been well-received
by both staff and patients.
“We are committed to implementing new environmental
sustainability initiatives throughout the hospital. The vending
machine not only provides a healthier alternative for our
staff and visitors, but it is also reducing a lot of waste,”
Mr Ridley said.
Since the trial started in November 2019, St George Private
Hospital’s vending machine has dispensed more than
755 cups of juice made from 3,500 oranges.
When an order is placed, the machine dispenses a whole
orange which is then sliced in half and pulverised for its juice.
A filtering system keeps out the seeds and most of the pulp,
to deliver the juice in 45 seconds.
The machine can hold up to 500 oranges at one time and will
be available to patients and visitors until at least the end of
the three-month trial in February 2020.
Juice For Good’s Head of Marketing, Louise Tran, said:
“Nearly half of all Aussie-grown fruit and vegetables are
wasted each year, due to how they look. By the end of the
year, we will have 50 vending machines around Sydney,
saving more than 10 tonnes of blemished oranges from going
to landfill each week.”
A cup of fresh juice costs $4, but all money made from the
machines is donated to OzHarvest, a food rescue charity which
collects surplus food and distributes it to people in need.
Ramsay hospitals receive efficient lighting
through Environmental Sustainability Fund
Six hospitals are receiving $400,000 worth of LED efficient lighting upgrades, after successfully applying for funding
through Ramsay Health Care’s $1 million Environmental Sustainability Fund.
Castlecrag Private Hospital, Cairns Private Hospital, North Shore Private Hospital, Noosa Hospital, Warringal Private Hospital and Joondalup
Health Campus will receive the lighting upgrades to help reduce carbon emissions.
Ramsay Health Care launched the Environmental Sustainability Fund in 2019, with all applications considered and approved on a ‘first-come,
first-served’ basis.
Ramsay sites have had the opportunity to apply for funding of up to $100,000 per project to undertake initiatives likes building management
systems to improve energy efficiency, introducing water-efficient appliances and alternative energy options such as solar power.
The 2020 Environmental Sustainability Fund will further enable Ramsay Health Care sites to fund sustainable projects that will better meet
customers’ expectations and lead to better outcomes for all.