Earth Week speaker: Exist Green owner to discuss how ‘reuse’ principles fit into Methodist’s sustainability goals

In celebration of Earth Week and Earth Day on April 22, Methodist Health System is showcasing its commitment to sustainability with activities that highlight our theme: “Reduce, Reuse and Then Recycle.” 

This week, Methodist employees can join Leigh Neary, owner of Exist Green, Omaha's first and only zero waste market, for a discussion on the principle of “reuse” and its crucial role in achieving broader sustainability goals. 

The event is Thursday, April 25, at the 825 Building or virtually via Teams. The meeting is at 1 p.m. in room 209. Click here to join the Teams meeting.

Tapping into her background as an environmental engineer, Neary will provide context on why "reuse" outweighs "single-use" (even when recycled or composted!) in reducing ecological footprints. 

Why does reducing waste matter?

Recycling and composting divert waste from landfills, but the far more effective and environmentally friendly strategy for reducing your impact is to reduce the overall amount of waste produced. This reduces the amount of finite and hazardous materials being used to manufacture products, and it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the negative environmental impact associated with manufacturing, transporting and end of life for a product. 

Methodist has a waste diversion goal of 50%, which includes source reduction as a source of diversion. 

Strategies you can try to reduce your waste consumption at work and at home include:

• Thinking before you print
• Bringing reusable cups, containers, silverware, bottles and bags with you to reduce your plastic waste
• Buying items secondhand
• Making purchasing choices that minimize the amount of packaging used
• Striving to Upcycle or repair old items instead of throwing them away
• Finding new uses for items you’re no longer using

Other ways to get involved

• Participate in the “Snap to Save” photo challenge and showcase any way that you reduce your waste for a chance to win one of two household memberships to Fontenelle Forest. The deadline to enter is April 26.
• See what other Earth Week events are going on around Methodist Health System.
• Visit the sustainability page on the MHS intranet to learn more about Methodist’s sustainability efforts. To get involved in efforts to foster a culture of sustainability at Methodist, sign up for the Sustainable Health Implementation Plan (SHIP) Ambassador program.