Juniper Communities’ Green Canopy Initiative sets a new standard for environmental responsibility and can serve as a blueprint for others on how to thrive while minimizing environmental impact.
The senior living market segment often is overlooked regarding sustainability, but by integrating eco-friendly practices, the opportunity for impact is great. The industry, after all, serves more 800,000 older adults across approximately 30,600 communities in the United States.
Juniper constructed its first senior living community to LEED specifications in 2001 and since that time has been dedicated to sustainability. This commitment has been formalized under the Green Canopy Initiative, reflecting the company’s ethos of “doing well by doing good.”
Here are some of the ways that we have been or will be making a difference — and where your organization can make a difference, too.
1. Single-use plastic waste. I am spearheading a comprehensive initiative at the organization to reduce single-use plastic waste across our operations. We’ve identified key areas for improvement, particularly in medication administration, where an estimated 8 million single-use plastic items — such as soufflé cups, plastic cups, spoons and straws — are discarded daily in senior living communities nationwide.
Juniper’s strategy includes replacing plastic items with paper alternatives and introducing reusable stainless-steel utensils in medication dispensing. The company also has tackled increased plastic usage in dining services, exacerbated by COVID-19 room delivery protocols, by implementing cardboard and paper alternatives where possible. Additionally, Juniper has reimagined its activities and programming to reduce plastic waste, such as replacing disposable cups with resident “mug clubs” (instead of plastic cups) and finding alternatives to plastic decorations, where possible.
Central to the success of those initiatives is a comprehensive education and engagement campaign, involving employees, residents and family members. Juniper created “green zones” where residents can recycle their personal items as well.
Through those targeted efforts across multiple departments, the company is demonstrating a holistic approach to environmental sustainability in senior living while maintaining high-quality care and services.
2. Food waste. Beyond plastic waste, Juniper has turned its attention to the critical issue of food waste.
Recognizing that food waste constitutes 22% of municipal solid waste in US landfills, with senior living communities contributing an estimated 700,000 pounds daily, Juniper has implemented a multi-faceted approach. This approach includes educational campaigns on portion sizes, installation of composting bins, sourcing local food and reducing vendor deliveries where feasible.
A significant part of this effort involves educating residents about the effects of food waste and helping them make more deliberate choices about their meals to help minimize unwanted food production. Vital to this effort is key messaging, impact education, mission collaboration and feedback on results, to ensure that sustainability becomes a community-wide effort, engaging residents, employees and vendors alike.
3. Zero waste goal. Setting goals gives us something to strive for, and Juniper has set a goal to become the first zero-waste senior living community this year. The company’s goals include eliminating single-use plastics, establishing branded recycling stations and reducing energy consumption through measures such as computer power management and motion sensor-controlled lighting.
Additional efforts include composting, maintaining community gardens and using paper containers for in-room dining.
4. Energy efficiency and water conservation. The Green Canopy Initiative also emphasizes energy efficiency, with the installation of Energy Star appliances and a transition to LED lighting, which has had a positive environmental impact. Additionally, water conservation is a key component, with the installation of low-flow faucets and showerheads cutting water use by 50%, all while ensuring residents’ comfort.
This effort also has been expanded into landscaping practices as well, in planning out replacement of materials with low-water-use plants shrubs and other materials whenever possible.
5. Green building practices. Another pillar of our sustainability strategy is green building. Juniper incorporates US Green Building Council standards, focusing on natural lighting, energy-efficient windows and water management systems. Those green features not only benefit the environment but also enhance residents’ quality of life by improving comfort and overall health.
Part of Juniper’s acquisition strategy has been focused on climate-risk reduction factors for potential sites, including geo-thermal, solar or sustainable construction practices/features. This strategy can be particularly inviting for investment partners seeking to both maximize value and overall environmental impact in collaboration for future sustainable enhancements.
6. Technology and paper reduction. Paper usage remains high in senior living communities, especially for activities programming. This trend stems from the preferences of residents accustomed to getting daily information from newspapers and periodicals. Consequently, those communities frequently print multiple schedules and announcements, often more than once daily. This practice not only is expensive in terms of paper, ink and printer cartridges, but also contributes to unnecessary landfill waste.
Juniper has taken a proactive approach to tackling this issue by embracing digital solutions. The organization has installed digital displays and Alexa devices to inform residents about activities, meals and entertainment.
For instances where paper still is necessary, Juniper has partnered with a managed print company to monitor usage and identify high-volume activities.
This multi-faceted strategy has yielded impressive results. The ongoing training of employees regarding essential printing use has supported Juniper in cutting paper printing by more than 850,000 pages in just six months, significantly reducing the company’s environmental impact and operational costs.
Education and collaboration
Physical infrastructure, of course, is just one piece of the puzzle.
The Green Canopy Initiative’s success hinges on education and collaboration. Employees play a crucial role by teaching and demonstrating sustainable practices, which engage residents and cultivate a community-wide dedication to environmental stewardship.
This approach has expanded to include partnerships with local sustainability experts, such as parks departments and ecological conservation groups. Those collaborations facilitate educational programs on topics directly affecting regional ecosystems, further strengthening the initiative’s impact.
As demand for eco-friendly senior living options continues to grow, Juniper’s Green Canopy Initiative stands as a model for integrating sustainability into senior living and care. Through innovative practices, education and a genuine commitment to environmental stewardship, the organization seeks to lead the way in nurturing both its residents and the planet.
By setting a standard for sustainable senior living, Juniper Communities is showing that it is possible to create a high-quality care environment that supports both older adults and a greener future. As senior living residents and their families increasingly prioritize sustainability in choosing housing options, initiatives such as Green Canopy become not just ethical imperatives but key competitive advantages.
“Our guiding principle is nurturing the spirit of life,” says Juniper Communities founder and CEO Lynne Katzmann, emphasizing the importance of this initiative. “We want our communities to provide the best possible environment for our residents while making the larger communities we serve healthier places to live.”
This vision aligns well with the growing demand from older adults and their families for eco-friendly living options that do not compromise on quality of care.
Donald F. Breneman is chief operating officer of Juniper Communities. He will be honored with the Agent of Change Award during McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards festivities March 20 in Chicago. The event is open to all friends, family, colleagues and supporters. Ticket information is available here.
The opinions expressed in each McKnight’s Senior Living guest column are those of the author and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Senior Living.
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