The environment seems to be on everybody's minds these days, as more companies search for cleaner and more efficient ways to produce energy. Fujifilm recently announced that its manufacturing complex in Greenwood, S.C., will use methane gas from a local landfill to power approximately 40 percent of the facility's operations. By using the methane as energy Fujifilm is preventing methane emissions, which are more than 20 times more damaging to the ozone than carbon dioxide, from being released into the atmosphere from the landfill. 

On the other hand, not everybody has fully adopted stricter guidelines. According to a recent study by Info-Tech Research Group, government agencies in the U.S. and Canada have the lowest level of concern among all industries for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility in their IT departments. Additionally, government agencies also rank the lowest among industries in terms of implementing green strategies in their data centers and other IT functions.

In the health care realm, groups such as Health Care Without Harm (HVWH) and Hospitals for a Healthy Environment actively assist medical centers with meeting EPA standards and finding cleaner methods for waste removal and recycling. According to an article by Timothy A. Mercer in ADVANCE for Physical Therapist & PT Assistants, HCWH has "helped eliminate markets for mercury-based medical equipment, generating demand for safe alternatives; created new markets for safe and healthy products by leveraging the purchasing power of the health care industry; initiated a green building program specifically geared toward hospitals; and developed a project to change the way hospitals purchase food to support sustainable agricultural practices."

Have you looked into reducing your facility's environmental impact? What steps have you made already, and how have they been received by your staff? Are there other factors (e.g., cost, infrastructure) preventing you from adopting new standards?