A hospital's primary mission is the health of its patients.
but the Castle Medical Center also promotes environmental health.

Since when did coffee turn green? It's not the coffee, it's the cup.

"We encourage everybody to bring in their own cups down to the cafeteria and there's a little bit of discount for coffee," said Going Green Committee member Tina Johnson, from the Castle Medical Center.

"I think globally every day and this is just a small way in contributing to that global effect," said Martha Kaimana, another Castle Medical Center Employee.

Castle Medical Center has gone green by forming a Going Green Committee about a year ago.

"Well we try to find new ways to be green. This is just the beginning," said Johnson.

The beginning includes recycling bins…

"I had people coming out of the woodwork catch me in the hall saying you know I'm glad we're recycling our cans and bottles. Now can we do this or this or this," said Castle Medical Center President Kevin Roberts.

"Well here in the cafeteria to switch over to some more green products, we have moved from our Styrofoam plates and cups to paper plates and cups," said Richard Gruwitch, a hospital Food and Service aide.

And they try to go paperless, with 'electronic' medical records, electronic agendas for meetings and switching to two-sided printing.
Even the foliage in Castle's award-winning grounds. Plants and flowers used for decorations at hospital events, instead of purchasing and groundskeepers recycle cuttings. Even getting TO Castle can be green.

"In fact we have some people including myself who are riding their bicycles to work as a way of maintaining our personal health and the health of our community and environment," said Roberts.

It all may seem simple, practical, but quantity adds up to quality of life.

"It's the little things that hopefully add up and collectively make a big difference for Hawai'I because Hawai'I as everybody knows should be the most sustainable self-sufficient island and state and an example to the rest of the country," said Roberts.

"Part of our mission at Castle is caring for our community so that's what we see as a big part of what we do," said Johnson.