This summer, UF Health Shands and PepsiCo™ teamed up to provide UF Health Shands employees the opportunity to think “green” with a chance to win a $10,000 sustainability grant from the Think Green campaign. Employees from various Gainesville campuses submitted more than 70 sustainability ideas — and the team from UF Health Shands Rehab Hospital Pharmacy Services came out on top.

“The Think Green campaign was a very clever idea. It sparked employees into thinking about our environment,” said Marilyn Ryan, R.P.T., CPhT, UF Health Shands Rehab Hospital Pharmacy Services pharmacy technician and winning team member. “It’s a great opportunity for UF Health to lead by example. If our co-workers and patients see the efforts we put into keeping the world a better and healthier place, hopefully our sustainable ways at work can carry over to our home lives.”

Ryan’s winning team included UF Health Shands Rehab Hospital Pharmacy Services pharmacists Jim Friske, Pharm.D.; Betsy Dodd, Pharm.D.; and Bill  Garst, Pharm.D. Each winning team member received a $125 gift card and an Apple Watch provided by PepsiCo™. Their winning concept earned $10,000 and will be used to purchase bins to help recycle the empty plastic pill bottles that are currently being thrown away, and to kick-start the concept in other areas around UF Health.

“It was nice to have the recognition for the staff, the department and the hospital,” said Bobby Nipper, R.Ph., the department’s lead pharmacist and supervisor. “Hopefully we can help implement the program in other departments and make a difference in reducing waste at UF Health.”

Lara Zamajtuk, UF Health Shands Operations associate vice president, will link with other leaders to help launch the project.

“After seeing all of the enthusiasm from the Think Green campaign, we are excited to implement the winning project,” Zamajtuk said. “This concept has the potential to improve sustainability in additional areas of the organization as well.”