Intermountain Health's sustainability approach: Butterfly gardens, no-idling zones

Leaders at Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Health are exploring sustainability initiatives in and around their facilities.

While some projects are more sizable than others, System Sustainability Director Glen Garrick said all are meant to contribute to a cleaner environment—which, in turn, will support community wellness across the seven states in which the integrated health system operates

“You're so focused on what's going on inside, which is a core competency and should be, but you’re missing a huge tool on the outside to promote human health. I like to say health starts before people come in the front door,” Garrick said.

With an eye toward promoting better air quality, Intermountain provides 81 free electric vehicle charging stations for patients and clinicians installed at 38 hospitals, clinics and offices. It also plans to convert more of its fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles.

The system has also explored low-cost initiatives, such as designating drop-off and pick-up locations at 18 hospitals as idle-free.

“Here's the entrance of a hospital or emergency room and you've got these vehicles … making the air pollution as bad as possible,” Garrick said. “That doesn’t need to be. All you have to do is turn off the vehicle.”

The conservation projects have helped Intermountain reduce its spending. Converting fluorescent lighting to LEDs has saved the organization 18,700 megawatts and more than $1 million annually.

Last April, the system replaced 19 acres of grass across five facilities with gravel, dirt and plants, saving 17.5 million gallons of water and $200,000 per year. It also planted five gardens to feed endangered monarch butterflies migrating through the region. 

Within its hospitals and clinics, Intermountain is pursuing ways to reduce food waste, which often winds up in methane-generating landfills.

This year, system leaders are working with patients and clinicians to revamp the organization’s menu with healthy meals that get eaten. They send any remaining food waste to a local biodigester, which converts it into natural gas and fertilizer.

These kinds of initiatives have helped the health system achieve an estimated 12.2% reduction in its carbon footprint from 2018 to 2022.

Still, Garrick said there’s more to be done. He said it’s important to assess each region’s unique challenges when it comes to mitigating and responding to the effects of climate change.

“What are the challenges [facilities] are going to face over the next three, 10, 20 years?” he said.

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Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated Intermountain's timeline for converting part of its fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles.