Carbon Negative Goal

Mountain and wildflowers at sunset

Our mission and values compel us to be good stewards of our resources and a model of stewardship. As a leader in health care, we at Providence are doing our part to make significant strides to reduce our carbon footprint and become carbon negative by 2030.

We developed the WE ACT framework to organize, mobilize, track, and report our greenhouse gas reduction efforts. Each letter in WE ACT represents a key reduction target. 

WE ACT logo

To learn more about our efforts, follow the links below or check out our first environmental stewardship report.

See examples of how WE ACT for our environment:

Environmental Stewardship Excellence in our Ministries

Providence has made the boldest climate commitment in health care. With more than 120,000 caregivers across seven states, our footprint impacts millions of lives. Our goals to become carbon negative by 2030 and reduce our waste consumption by 50% can only be achieved through an all-hands-on-deck approach encompassing our shared values of compassion, excellence, dignity, justice and integrity.

Overhead shot of California coast and highway.

Across the health system we are making meaningful changes resulting in significant progress. We have committed to an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) program that seeks to reduce environmental impacts generated through our supply chain by making purchasing decisions which align with our goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste and minimize chemicals of concern.

Following our WE ACT framework, we see exciting results:

  • Waste - Two hospitals are already meeting our 2030 50% waste reduction goal.
  • Energy and water - Our focus on Energy shows progress with 26 health care facilities being powered with 100% renewable electricity.
  • Agriculture and food - We have several gardens, CSA programs, and a prescription produce program offering fresh local produce to people with chronic health issues.
  • Chemicals - We have reduced greenhouse gases from anesthetic agents by 69% and 96% of computer purchases meet EPEAT standards.
  • Transportation - We have seen an 86% reduction in business trips in 2021, compared to 2019.

Read more by state

  • Alaska Medical Center
    In Anchorage, Alaska, Providence Alaska Medical Center reprogrammed its central building automation system to reflect occupancy, which increased building energy efficiency, reduced emissions.
  • Reducing food waste
    in Anchorage, Alaska, Providence Alaska Medical Center reduces food waste through use of reusable Ozzi containers.
  • Emissions reduction in Alaska
    The Alaska region achieved an 84% reduction in business travel from 2019 to 2020. While due to Covid impacts, virtual meetings have been effective and new policies are in place to keep this up.

  • Health Care Climate Council
    Providence is a founding member of the California Health Care Climate Council, collaborating to protect patients and caregivers from the health impacts of climate change.  
  • Tarzana Medical Center
    Providence Tarzana Medical Center in Los Angeles, California selected sustainable materials when designing and building its new patient wing.
  • Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
    Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital reduces waste in the cafeteria and partners Sonoma Food Runners to donate safe, edible, excess food to neighborhood food banks and local shelters.

  • Oregon region anesthetics
    Across the Oregon region, Dr. Brian Chesebro led efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 95 percent by switching to a lower-emission, lower-cost, alternative anesthetic, that delivers quality clinical outcomes.
  • Oregon green cleaning
    Across the Oregon region, “green cleaning” has been adopted by selecting a green formulary that includes water based chemicals, effective and safe even among the most vulnerable.
  • Providence Milwaukie Hospital
    In Milwaukie, Oregon, Providence Milwaukie volunteers tend to a garden that feeds the most vulnerable in the community.

  • Covenant Medical Center
    In Lubbock, Texas, Covenant Medical Center selected high efficiency equipment during a central plant renovation.
  • Covenant Children's Hospital
    In Lubbock, Texas, anesthesiologists at Covenant Children’s reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with administration of anesthetics by 58%.

  • Centralia Hospital
    In southwest Washington, in 2020, Centralia Hospital installed the largest solar array in the state.
  • Providence St. Peter Hospital
    In southwest Washington, Providence St. Peter Hospital has been powered by 100% renewable electricity since March 2021.
  • Swedish Issaquah
    In Issaquah, Washington, Swedish Issaquah was named the most energy-efficient hospital in the U.S.