CUH flies the flag for environmental endeavour

Cork University Hospital is the first academic healthcare organisation in the world to reach international Green Flag status for efforts to reduce its environmental impact.

The accolade solidifies the CUH as a leader in how the green campus model is applied to healthcare institutions and follows a rigorous evaluation of the hospital’s waste, energy, water, travel, and biodiversity impact.

For the past 18 years, hundreds of thousands of students in Ireland have engaged with the Green Schools initiative.

The programme is currently undergoing expansion to include work places and larger institutions.

This transition is a new international development for the Foundation for Environmental Education and An Taisce, the organisations behind Green Flag award.

Paschal Kent, the sustainable environment officer for CUH, said the flag represented the culmination of years of hard work.

“I am delighted that CUH has been awarded the Green Campus Flag as recognition of all the hard work on environmental initiatives that have taken place over many years in CUH, involving both staff and students,” she said.

“Participation in the Green Campus Programme will ensure a sustainable environment and healthcare for all.”

The hospital hopes that increasing environmental awareness among CUH staff, students, patients, and the public will influence society in general, ensuring environmental issues are prioritised.