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Healthcare currently accounts for 16% of our nation’s GDP, and is expected to rise to 20% by the year 2015. Hospitals employ 4.6 million people with their 24/7 operations. That is alot of good jobs. They also spend about $8.3 billion each year on energy, are often the largest water users in a community, and produce over 2 million tons of waste per year. I see a green opportunity here…

Over 150 Pilot Projects are participating in the SITES two-year Pilot Program (June 2010-June 2012). These projects represent a diverse cross-section of project types, sizes and geographic locations in various stages of development from design to construction and maintenance. SITES Pilot Projects will be the first projects in the United States and abroad to demonstrate the application of The Sustainable Sites Initiative: Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009, released on November 5, 2009.

Especially in times of economic troubles, we need to look for opportunities. There are opportunities all around us for energy and water conservation, and efficiencies – and subsequent cost savings. There are opportunities to choose more wisely in purchasing, and in reducing waste. We are at a crossroads. We can change the way that we value natural resources, human resources, and come up with a better model. We can move forward with a more thoughtful plan.