FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Date: June 22, 2009

 Contact:   Anthony Stahl
                 Director HR/Marketing
                 Howard Memorial Hospital
                 707-456-3101

Willits - Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital (HMH) recently received the 2009 Partner Recognition Award from Practice Greenhealth.

HMH received the award for beginning work on environmental improvements. The award requires significant progress toward environmental performance goals and less than a 10 percent recycling rate for the total waste stream.

Tom Peterson, Plant Operations Manager, said, “It’s an award stating that the organization is committed to sustainable practices.” Peterson is an active member of the Green Team, a newly formed committee.

“We hope our partnership with Practice Greenhealth will help us find more items to help the environment and pollute a little less,” Peterson explained. “Our main focus is to reduce waste. We’ll help the environment, but also help the hospital become more efficient.” Through this program, HMH is able to compare itself to other hospitals with the same commitments.

Practice Greenhealth assigns awards once a year in late May. This year the ceremony took place between May 18 and 20 in Chicago, Ill. Partner Recognition is one of seven awards that Practice Greenhealth honors hospitals with across the United States.

Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for healthcare institutions that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. Membership includes hospitals, healthcare systems, businesses and other stakeholders involved in going green to improve the health of patients, staff and the environment.