Building a healthy environment is a continuation of the full continuum of quality health care that Tanner Health System provides to communities across west Georgia and east Alabama. Our green commitment At Tanner, green isn’t just a corporate color; it’s a way of life. Since the Tanner Green initiative first began in 2006, we have remained committed to finding, adopting and championing eco-friendly initiatives and practices. Today, we’re doing more than ever, and our initiative is a mission: Tanner’s Healthy Environment Mission Tanner Health System understands the connection between the health of our patients and a healthy environment, and we embrace our regional ecological responsibility to provide a sustainable healthy environment for current and future generations. We are continually working and 100% committed to providing and maintaining beautiful public greenspaces; to minimizing our carbon footprint by recycling and reusing, reducing waste, and conserving energy and water; and to adopting eco-friendly solutions whenever possible. Below are some of the many things Tanner is doing to reduce our impact on Earth’s precious and life-giving resources: Increasing and improving our green spaces Tree Campus Healthcare designation From the majestic water oaks along Dixie Street — selected and planted at the direction of Southwire Company founder and first Tanner board chair Roy Richards Sr. — to the shaded walking trails on its Carrollton campus, Tanner Health System takes trees seriously. In 2020, The Arbor Day Foundation designated Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton a Tree Campus Healthcare facility. To receive Tree Campus Healthcare recognition, Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton met five program standards: having a facility tree care plan; hosting a celebration event; maintaining an advisory committee; implementing a community forestry project; and making a financial investment toward a tree care plan or projects. Tanner was among 24 hospitals to receive recognition for 2020, and the only facility in Georgia to earn the recognition. Learn more. Carrollton GreenBelt spur In February 2021, the first trail spur connecting the main route of the Carrollton GreenBelt to downtown Carrollton was opened, with that spur intersecting the main loop near Southwire’s corporate headquarters, running through Tanner’s Carrollton campus and finishing at Lucille Avenue, adjacent to the Stewart House. Tanner, the Miles family and Stewart House donated easements for the trail spur, which was built in just over five months. The project included the construction of approximately 2,400 linear feet of trail and a 30-foot bridge in addition to the 1,000 feet of the spur that was constructed along Dixie Street by Tanner during the construction of the Tanner Health Pavilion. Learn more. Tanner walking trails In addition to Tanner’s shaded mile-and-a-half of walking trails on its Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton campus, there is a shaded one-fourth mile loop walking trail on the campus of Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica. Both trails are well used by both the public and Tanner team members. Reducing our carbon footprint Electric vehicle charging stations are now available on Tanner’s Carrollton, Villa Rica and Bremen hospital campuses. Look for signs like the one picture here on each level of our public parking decks or in our public parking lots. There are currently 15 charging stations on the Carrollton campus, located in the parking decks at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton and Tanner Health Pavilion, and in the parking lot of Tanner Conference Center at the corner of Dixie Street and Clinic Avenue. There are two charging stations at Higgins General Hospital and five at Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica. Tanner is also transitioning from gasoline-powered vehicles and golf carts to electric, reducing our consumption of fossil fuels and improving air quality. We are also using LED lighting where possible and installing power management systems in our newer facilities to reduce energy consumption. So far, we’ve converted approximately 45% of the lighting in Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton to LEDs (plus 100% of the parking deck lights), 70% in Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica, 65% in Higgins General Hospital and 90% in Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama. Using resources wisely Tanner’s mission means that we use resources as wisely as possible. Some of the many ways that we are keeping Tanner Green include: Well water for landscaping LED lighting with occupancy sensors where applicable Energy-efficient chillers and a heat-recovery unit Works with an energy consultant group to reduce usage of electricity and natural gas Variable speed drives for pumps and air handlers Economizer modes in air handling systems State-of-the-art air conditioning controls Increased roof insulation as roofs are replaced Photo sensors to control parking deck lights Daylight dimmers to dim parking deck perimeter lights to 50% on sunny days Replacement of low-efficiency through-the-wall air conditioning units Environmentally friendly cleaning agents and systems Biodegradable trash bags Core-less toilet paper rolls Reusing/recycling batteries Recycling of cardboard and aluminum Recycled paper products Plasticware eating utensil dispensers mete out a single utensil at a time Napkin dispensers provide a single napkin at a time Lower prices on healthy foods Locally-grown season fruits and vegetable as available Have a green suggestion? We are always interested in meaningful and sustainable green ideas. Submit an idea.
